Wedlocked
by RiCa20
Summary: Justin Taylor is a young prince who is blissfully unaware that he was being negioated into marriage with Brian Kinney, a ruthless emperor by his very own father to save their kingdom. Justin is now shackled with the chains of marriage.How will he cope?
1. I want him, therefore I shall

_**Warning: This story might contain some concepts that you may feel uncomfortable with, usually with my weird ideas. (I will not be warning you again)**_

_It's a fantasy story, the course of events in the human history and the trends in human society are deliberately changed including the name of the places yet some ideas are borrowed from that time including some aspects of religion._

_Characters may seem out of character and relationships are changed although it was necessary to fit it in my context of time and place._

* * *

><p>Brian Kinney<p>

The name that people feared, the name that made even the most powerful kings quiver and tremble. He really was the emperor of all kings. With his unorthodox tactics, he usually surprised his enemies into defeat. No one could ever match with his intelligence or his insurmountable ego for that matter.

Brian had a voracious appetite for power, the more he had the more he wanted it. It certainly seemed to fill up the emptiness that gnawed at him constantly, it kept him busy.

He was pitiless but was rather fair to the common people. The people feared him but they knew that their king always did the right thing because they always had a roof over their head and food and water in plentiful amounts. They trusted the king with his unusual ways knowing that whatever he did would never cease harm on them.

Although the peasants and the farmers weren't complaining, Brian usually killed other kings and his soldiers callously slashing their throats open without sympathy. Once he had conquered a certain kingdom, Brian would then appoint someone trustworthy from his own kingdom to rule the place but that appointed leader would follow and answer to Brian's orders directly, never daring to make a decision on his own.

The land Azalea was divided into seven kingdoms and over the many years Brian had ruled, he slowly took power over five kingdoms out of the seven. One kingdom had already fallen down in surrender and there was one more in the far south of their land. It was a secluded kingdom shrouded by great forests all around. Some people who had been there even called it the earth's heaven, a paradise, a Garden of Eden? They had told others that it was the most pure place in Azalea itself. That not even shed of blood was dropped in those lands till date.

Brian scoffed at the very idea of such place, he decided it was time he too made this so called "heaven" kingdom his own.

Brian also had another kind of reputation. He fucked men and was proud of it, not that people found it strange that men and men and women and women could fall in love. It was already long accepted in the society and was deemed natural. And even if this sounded somewhat a modern belief not all their traditions were so...

In the 29 years of his existence Brian had gone under eight marriages, all of his husbands had gone under the guillotine. Brian didn't give a rat's ass about marriage but it was believed to be "proper conduct" for two people to get married first before they could have sex. People who didn't practice this were frowned upon and babies born out of wedlock had even a worse fate. Even though Brian hated this tradition that was carried on from generations in their society. His minister and his other advisors forced him to do so, so that their people wouldn't have a sordid reputation of their king. Their motto being fear was far more preferred than disgust.

Currently Brian was off to the southern kingdom to give the Ol'King Taylor a little rattle and push and ask him if he wanted brutal war filled with murder or silent surrender worth their entire treasury. From the rumours he had heard till now, he was sure that the second option seemed to be their kind of choice.

Michael was Brian's minister, very loyal person indeed. He had grown up with the prince and as soon Brian took the crown, Brian made sure to make Michael his minister. Theodore took care of the entire treasury, he was loyal too although Brian was never too certain.

Brian also made sure to be generous with the salaries. He paid all of his entire 'staff' from servants to his soldiers' right till his advisors, double the amount than anywhere in Azalea. The salaries were always more than enough. In a way Brian tried to buy loyalty with his money, another one of his tactics. It usually worked but Brian was always cautious. With the life he lead, he could never be too certain about who was going to stab him in the back.

Brian was riding inside the carriage carried by two horses. Michael sat next to the carriage driver chatting away busily. Brian stared absent-mindedly out the window watching the trees and the dirt road below flash by ever so quickly, just like the time, sneakily blurring away right before his eyes. And that mere thought scared Brian, scared that he too someday was going to crumble away with the soil. And in the end what had he hoped to achieve?

Brian snapped out of those haunting questions, when he realised that they were pretty close to the palace.

After two days of travel they had finally reached the palace. The chauffeur opened the door and Brian stepped outside, his leather boots making a loud clack on the steps of the carriage. Brian wasn't alone, he also had brought with him half his army but Brian, half of his army was enough.

Brian was indeed a gentleman before he was a cold-hearted murderer and so he wanted to give the king his two options before he destroyed his livelihood. After he had conquered this place too, he would be the sole proprietor of Azalea.

He took in the sight of the majestic palace. It nearly reached his standards of living. The palace was made out of snow white marble. The pillars were marked with brilliant carvings of angels on the solid monolithic structure. In front of them two guards stood and bowed instantly as Brian walked in. At the entrance King Craig Taylor stood, looking uncomfortable, wearing a wary smile rubbing his sweaty palms together in unruly anticipation. Brian smirked at the man, who he knew would be begging at his feet soon.

Brian wore a black leather vest over his long sleeved white shirt, the belt hugging his waist. His hair was tied, although it usually was let open. The crown sat on his head proudly as ever. He always wore knee-high boots. (My description of Brian's apparel maybe be hard to imagine, hence I posted an image down below to help you imagine it better)

Craig welcomed Brian, Michael and Ben into his palace. Ben was Brian's personal guard and also the head of his army. He led them up into his private lair that was situated upstairs, so that they could work out a suitable agreement and frantically hoped that the agreement would be in accordance with Brian so that he wouldn't invade their land.

Craig Taylor motioned them to sit down but Brian refused, instead he walked around the room, appreciating and admiring the art that was hung up on the walls. They were simply exquisite. He had never seen such artistic talent in all his life before.

"So Brian, I'll agree to pay you half of the taxes that we get from our people. Would that be enough to satisfy you?" Craig started.

"Hmm...Who's the artist?" Brian asked, completely ignoring Craig's plea.

"What? Oh...that's my son's work" Craig replied slightly dazzled.

Brian quirked a brow at the mention of a son. His curiosity piqued, he wanted to see how this man looked like. Who was the face behind such talent, making such extra ordinary pieces that excited his senses.

"Michael did you know that he had a son?" He asked wondering why his minister had left out that detail.

Michael suddenly became alert who snapped out of staring at the hulk guard.

"Yes Sire, he does have a son although he is of no threat, he's quite young" He reported.

"I see" Brian said in thought. How young? He walked over to the balcony, opened the glass doors and walked till he'd found the ledge.

"So Brian, why don't we settle this first?" Craig asked, growing increasingly uncomfortable at Brian's blasé attitude.

They were already a lot of rumours that Kinney was a little unpredictable and mental. He was slowly beginning to understand why.

Brian looked out the balcony, they weren't that high, they were about a floor high. At that vantage point he couldn't figure where the palace acres ended, it seemed to go on forever, miles of green lawn and rows of beautiful flower beds dominated his view. He definitely needed to make some renovations here and there, this was too 'pretty' and it was blinding his eyes.

Below him, he saw a small pond-like area with tiny ducks swimming around and also with lilies floating on top. Brian soon got bored and was about to turn back to Craig when something caught his eye, something so extraordinarily beautiful.

A beautiful young man, about 16 or 17 years old with hair that looked like it was made out strings of gold, he was walking towards the pond with a paintbrush in his hand wearing a small crown over his head. He instantly realised who the artist was.

His maid had pulled out a stand and was adjusting the canvas on top of it while another one attended to his paints.

Brian had become completely absorbed in watching him, the attraction was unavoidable. He supported his head on his hand, plopped up by an elbow on the balcony wall. He watched the blond flicked his shaggy blond hair back that came up to his shoulder. He started to paint but soon stopped after the first flick of a paintbrush.

He rang a small bell and a servant instantly came to his need. He then told her something and the maid adjusted the canvas for him.  
>Brian smirked at his attitude and then something unexpected happened. The same brown coloured curly haired maid who had adjusted the canvas suddenly pushed Justin playfully into the pond.<p>

Brian's lips slowly twitched into a smile by watching the antics that was happening below him. He saw the blond push up for air and when the brunette gave him his hand, the blond pulled her in too. They both laughed and gasped for air at the same time.

Brian clicked his finger and Michael came running towards him.

Brian nudged his head towards the boy.

Michael knew that look only too well, his predatory gaze was all too clearly seen.

"He's Taylor's son" Michael said slowly.

"I realise that, what does he like?" Brian asked suggestively.

"Right, he likes men" Michael replied and Brian smiled back in response pleased with the information. Michael frowned and came closer "But Sire, isn't he a bit too young for you"

Brian ignored his Minister's advice and continued watching them play in the water. His cock started to come alive as Justin pulled out the pond, his clothes wet and sticking in all the right places.

When Justin smiled brightly at his friend, his smile had surged in Brian an almost surreal warm feeling inside his chest.

Without further warning Brian declared fervently "I want him"

Craig came over to see what all the fuss was about and his heart dropped when he realised what Brian was eyeing at.

Brian turned around to face Craig.

"I've come to a conclusion Craig"

"And what's that?" Craig asked, feeling a little scared.

"I want you to give me your son's hand in marriage with me and I'll forget about invading the south or..." Brian continued with a nefarious spark in his eye.

Craig should've expected this but now that he was hearing it right out of Brian's mouth that he wanted his son. The reality had hit his head like a concrete brick.  
>"I'm not giving my son to you, you villain!" Craig raged reflexively.<p>

"Patience Craig make your decisions after I finish talking...I either marry him or I will make sure this place will be wrought with blood, something I heard you men hadn't seen and then I'll take your son as my personal servant. So which one would you rather prefer Taylor, be my father-in-law or be used as meat for the scavengers, your choice" Brian said simply knowing that he was being more than generous with Taylor.

Craig grimaced at his situation. He had heard horrible, ghastly stories about the men he had married. Giving his only beloved son to him would be cold-hearted murder, it would be equal to sending him to the knackers but did he really have a choice about protecting his son? And Brian seemed so adamant about having his son.

Flocks of Brian's soldiers were waiting behind the palace barricades that were double the number of soldiers he had, and that was only half of Brian's army! He would be a fool if he declared war now, especially against Brian's colossal army.

"So Craig what did you decide? I don't have much time. I'm returning back to my palace this evening" Brian said adding even more pressure.

Craig paced around the floor, slick drops of sweat curling down from his hair. He would lose his son either way but if he agreed now for the marriage it would at least be better for the people even though he'll be sacrificing his son.

"I'm sorry Justin" he muttered under his breath.

This would be a sacrifice, but a noble one.

"Fine, I'll hand you my son in marriage..." Craig resigned and then he silently mumbled to himself

"Not that I have any choice"

"So you do promise that you won't invade this kingdom right?" Craig asked making sure he had right.

"Oh I never promise Taylor but if I do I'm not the type to break it" Brian drawled on.

Craig looked at the conniving bastard and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a second and walked towards Brian, his eyes watery. He said in a serious tone.

"Brian, I want you to know that I'm giving you something that is worth much more than all the riches I had acquired. I want you to know that I'm giving you something that is invaluable to me, to our family and all I can ask you now is please, Brian, please take care of him" Craig pleaded holding Brian's hand. He was at mercy of Brian now.

Brian patted his shoulder but didn't say anything.

"Michael, we'll be leaving now and the marriage will be conducted in three days time, so appoint someone that is trustworthy to bring the boy back to our palace"

"Yes sire"

With another nudge of his head, Brian was out and gone, Ben leading in the front and Michael tailing right behind him.

* * *

><p>Justin changed into his dry clothes, unaware that his marriage was already set, unaware that his fate was already sealed.<p>

"Prince Justin, your father wishes to speak to you right away" an attendant reported before she bowed her head and left.  
>Justin dried his hair wondering what his father wanted to do with him at this time of the day. He hoped that it be a quick discussion because he had already planned so much for that day that he had to complete.<p>

To say the least, Justin lived in some sort of bubble. He had no idea about the things that happened outside his palace and never wished to either. Justin was more than happy to live at his palace till he died. He had his paint, he had his scenery, he had Daphne, and he had his family. And not to mention Chris Hobbs, a young boy his age that Justin had fallen in love with. He was the minister's son and he had been crushing on him since he had first seen him play Horse Polo with the other men and Chris was more than ready to encourage Justin's interest in him.

He had Money, friends and love too. What more could a person his age want?

Justin swayed gracefully into the courtyard where his father and mother stood with worried faces etched on their faces.

Justin's sanguine countenance soon turned into a frown. What had happened? He wondered maybe his grandparents had died or worse his pet rabbits maybe? Shit, maybe they realised he had used a hundred gold coins on Daphne again, that would piss them off.

"Good morning Father, Mother" Justin greeted as he got their attention.

His mother burst out into tears as soon as she saw Justin. She didn't want to give her son away. She didn't want to lose her son to the butchers.

Justin looked at his father for an explanation while he comforted his mother.

"What's wrong papa?" Justin asked with a congenial tone.

"Justin, Brian Kinney had asked your hand in marriage" Craig said sombrely.

"Brian Kinney? Who's he papa? You said no right?" Justin asked quickly, silently panicking, he had bad feeling that his parents did say yes for the marriage.

"Brian Kinney is a king. He is a ruthless ruler Justin. You probably don't know much about our politics but he's the most powerful king that had ever lived. He had conquered most of these lands. He was going to invade ours too but he decided to stop if we give you in marriage."

"No..." Justin managed to say, his mind whirling around not being able to grasp that his world was being turned upside down. Brian Kinney...marriage...with him? No this wasn't happening.

"Father, I can't, I don't want to get married to this man.

How could you give me away like that? Don't I mean  
>anything?" Justin asked in utter shock, feeling desperate, feeling anger melt his nerves, anger at his parents, and indescribable anger at this faceless man. How dare he do that without his permission?<p>

"Justin, son please I don't have a choice. He was willing to take you even if we said no. I'm sorry Justin."

"I...I love Chris what about him?" Justin talked to himself.

"I suggest you forget about Chris Justin, you'll be leaving tomorrow morning" Craig said a little sternly, a bit taken aback that a secret love affair was going on behind their back.

"No...No...I don't want to leave. I don't..." Justin said falling down on his knees and he cried, cried until his lungs couldn't hold any more. Jennifer hugged her son as he sobbed on her shoulders, his body shaking in violent bursts of tears as she cried with him. But alas all was in vain.


	2. I do?

**Next Day, In the Carriage**

Justin hugged himself as he felt chills run down his spine and he shook reflexively. He didn't know if that was from the weather outside or because he was beginning to get closer to the palace where he was going to spend the rest of his life with an unknown man till his death. Justin's eyes were still slightly red and puffy after his endless tears spilt since last night. He knew that his tears were worthless. They weren't going to change anything.

After spending a day in the carriage alone, Justin slowly realised that he really didn't have any choice but to act like the puppet for the story that was written by the callous ruler. At least he felt better knowing that he had at least helped his kingdom and his family from being invaded by a dangerous man. It was the only thing that motivated Justin to not kill himself.

He couldn't believe that the entire direction of his life had changed in a matter of minutes. He remembered about how he would dream of marrying Chris and now like a cruel irony it was going to be nothing _but_ a dream in his head.

Justin sighed depressingly when he thought about Chris. He wondered how Chris had responded to this treachery. He couldn't even say his last goodbye to him.

He remembered those days when he would feel so thrilled at the slightest touch, stealing simple pecks on each other's lips, their idea of rebelling, it was so innocent. Now he was racing off to a complete different kingdom, a different world marrying someone he didn't even see.

Justin shut his eyes really hard. He didn't even want to imagine what was going to be happening on their wedding night.

* * *

><p><strong>On the day of their Wedding<strong>

Justin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he walked into the grand church wearing the appropriate royal garments that was well fitted for the event of a marriage. It was frilled shirt with cuffs for his neck and over it he wore a long violet-coloured coat.

The church was almost empty with only two people standing at the foot of the altar who he guessed were the priest and... Brian himself.

His heart started beating against his chest like a loud drum as he drew closer to the man he was going to marry. He couldn't see the man yet because his back was still turned against him. The man was a little taller than him and had chestnut hair.

He kept on taking small apprehensive steps till he reached the altar and stood next to him. He turned his head slowly and for the first time, looked into the face of Brian Kinney. The man who changed his fate.

The man instantly smiled back at him and Justin felt a lot calmer. He had a warm amicable face that could be easily liked. _Strange _Were the people exaggerating about his ruthlessness? Or would the saying of 'don't judge a book by their cover' be more appropriate here?

"Morning prince" He greeted smiling brightly at him.

"Morning" Justin replied a little shyly. He was astonished that a ruthless ruler who had conquered countless kingdoms could be so...friendly. Something felt a little out of the equation.

"Well shall we start?" The priest asked peering through his glasses at the couple before him.

"Yes please, I do have a ton of work to complete" Brian replied and then he looked at Justin

"I apologize, are you ready too, Prince?" He asked sincerely.

Justin nodded shyly and stole another quick glance at him. He was perplexed, baffled at the king's manners.

After the priest had read most of the verses that were needed for a marriage ritual, he'd come to the most important line of them all.

"So do you Michael Novotny on behalf of Brian Kinney take Justin Taylor's hand in sickness and death?" He asked with hint of boredom present in his question.

Justin snapped his head at lightning speed towards the man standing next to him. His could feel his heart throbbing against his throat at the priest's words.

"Wa...wait you're not Brian Kinney?" Justin asked panicking slightly.

Michael laughed at such absurdity, him Brian Kinney? That's a good one.

"Of course I'm not Brian Kinney, although I am impressed that you'd mistake him for me" Michael gloated.

"Then why isn't _he_ here? I thought I would be marrying him?" Justin asked confused.

"You _are _marrying him" Michael assured him and continued "It's just that King is currently busy and so I'm standing in place for him but technically you _are_ being married to the king."

For as long as he could remember Brian had only attended his first marriage and from then on, it was either Michael, Theodore or sometimes even Ben that stood at the altar acting as a proxy for him.

Justin felt bile rise up in his throat, for a second his future seemed a little bright if not sunny and then it lulled him into complete pitch-black. He couldn't imagine what kind of man Brian was if his own marriage was at the bottom of his priority list.

"Brian Kinney says I do" Michael said.

Justin stood there, not able to say a word. He was struck at the absurdity of the whole situation. He thought he would be passing out any minute.

"Justin?" Michael called out to Justin, who seemed to be in a trance-like state.

"Justin you're supposed to say _I do_" Michael enunciated like he'd tell a child.

"Huh...I do" Justin repeated absent-mindedly. But he secretly thought, does it really matter? Do these words even count?

"Here put this ring on" Michael said giving him the ring. The ring wasn't all fancy. It was just a plain golden wedding band that had the name "Kinney" scrawled faintly on top of it.

"You're now married!" The priest exclaimed as he closed his book.

"You're name is now changed to Prince Justin Kinney" Michael added smiling.

Justin felt the world around him darken, as he felt himself sliding onto the floor. His body crumbling into a heap on the floor next to Michael.

"Shit, he must have been really happy" Michael slowly said to himself.

* * *

><p><em>A few hours later<em>

Justin stood in the balcony and watched the moon hide behind the clouds while the stars twinkled brightly back at him. The palace gardens below him were eerily silent and not even the slightest sound of a rustling leaf could be heard. Justin didn't know what time it was but he knew that it was way past midnight. He had been waiting for the king since the past three hours and till now there was no sign of him.

Justin wore a loose long- sleeved beige-coloured shirt made out of silk. The shirt didn't have buttons but instead had laces that zigzagged over his chest, the shirt was only up till his waist and he black pants underneath.

When Justin had first stepped inside the room, Justin could feel his body quivering in trepidation. For the first time in his life he could understand what fear felt like, it was heart-stopping, mind-numbing terrifying experience. His mind was incapacitated with it.

What was going to happen to him that night? Would they be having sex?

Justin knew shit about sex. He'd heard stories about them maybe even fantasised about it but that was just his own imagination what if it was nothing close to what he had in his head. The uncertainty of the night's events made him feel like he was drowning in a pool of anxiety. The farthest he'd go was pecking Chris on the lips and maybe even touched his cock...like once by accident.

_He was so fucked._

What was the king planning to do to him? First of all what did he even look like? These questions pushed Justin onto a cliff and he looked over the edge, scared out of his wits. But soon as one hour turned two and two turned to three, Justin's heart calmed down, he silently wondered if the king would be sending someone else on behalf of him for the wedding night too...

The King's room was double the size compared to his own bedroom. The bed was a massive piece of furniture situated in the middle of the room with laced curtains that flowered all around the bed. The wardrobe was a massive storage space and its door stood to one side of the wall. The dressing area was next to the bed that mainly consisted of a zigzag shaped shades where they could dress and undress. A gigantic mirror stood in front of the dressing area on the opposite wall.

At the end of the room, huge glass doors led outside to a balcony with a view of the courtyard and the palace garden.

Justin leaned on the rail as his mind wandered again over to his broken dreams, something his mind always regressed back to.

He then suddenly heard the big doorway open and close with a click.

Justin straightened without even realising it and his heart started racing faster and faster as the footsteps got louder and louder, the figure was moving closer and closer towards him.

His heart was beating wildly against his chest as his palms became wet with perspiration.

Justin gasped at the sudden unexpected touch when he felt two strong arms wounding themselves around his waist, pushing him back against what Justin could feel was a muscled body. He was so close, his scent perforated his senses.

Justin parted his lips in shock as he then felt the man roughly pulling down on his sleeve, so that Justin's collar and shoulder was now exposed.

Brian then started kissing tenderly on his shoulder blade, slowly moving up to his neck and then working his way up onto his ear, giving light gentle kisses, appreciating the soft pale skin.

Justin's hair on his neck stood up in salute and his body was covered with goose bumps but Justin stood like a statue, not reacting at all to Brian's ministrations.

"Hmm...Why aren't you naked already?" Brian whispered hoarsely in Justin's ear before capturing his ear with one bite and pushing him against the rail, pressing his erection against the tight black pants.

Justin suddenly felt a spark of anger ignite inside him. Why would he even expect that from him? His respect for the man dropped even lower, if that was even possible. Justin was disgusted to say the least.

Brian then stopped and turned Justin around in one swift move.

Justin's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. Justin had imagined the ugliest of all ugliest men to be Brian but on the contrary standing before him was in fact the most perfect specimen alive. He looked into those striking emerald eyes that were darkened with lust. He had the perfect chiselled features and he could feel the translucent musculature bulging from underneath his clothes. And silky chest nut coloured hair that grew till his shoulders flowing from underneath his crown. The crown was much bigger than Justin's but it was simple, it was made out of gold with subtle emeralds spatially embedded around the crown and it brought out his eyes.

Brian looked back into those stunned sapphire blue eyes, his beautiful soft features. He then let his thumb wander around those delectable formed lips.

"You're even more beautiful up close" Brian whispered softly. He had never wanted anyone this much in his life before. The minute he had seen the blond, uncontrollable desire to have him reined his mind. At that time Brian was willing to go to any lengths to have the blond with the beautiful smile in his arms...in his bed.

Justin stared at him, unable to move his gaze away from him even though he was truly disgusted with the man's behaviour. Marrying him without his permission and now he expects him to just lay spread-eagled for him? How could he just stand there with a smile on his face when he had ruined Justin's life?

Brian pulled Justin into the bedroom from the balcony. He closed the balcony door and with a flick of his hand, the curtains clouded the view of the night outside.

Now only Brian and Justin remained in the silent room in the eye of the burning candle.

"What are you waiting for?" Brian asked quirking an eyebrow as he removed his crown and ran his hand through his hair. He then started removing his boots. He expected the blond to be naked and lying for him on the bed, that's how all his past-ex husbands did, what was wrong with him?

Justin remained silent not able to utter a word but watched him silently. He could really feel the power emanating from him, his body exuberant with such bold masculinity. Justin had never met a man that exalted such power and authority with just a look from those eyes. Justin felt a little intimidated in his presence and maybe a little scared too.

Brian moved towards him until he could inhale the blonde's unique scent, strangely he smelt like honey and milk but that in itself was intoxicating. He bent down further to taste those inviting strawberry coloured lips but before he could, Justin had turned his face and Brian's kiss landed on Justin's cheek.

Brian pulled back confused and slightly frustrated at the blonde's attitude. Shit, he didn't even know the name.

"Your name?" Brian asked sitting back on the bed.

Justin moved back even further, clearly surprised and not in a good way.

"I can't believe you" Justin said quietly.

"Can't believe what? That I asked your name?" Brian mocked.

Justin felt a sudden strength rise in him and he bolted against Brian in uncontrollable fury.

"I can't believe that you expect me to lay _naked_ for you when you don't even know my name?"

"Fuck, my mistake. I should've asked your name after I've fucked you" Brian snapped getting up and moving closer to Justin.

"You...you didn't even come to marry me...hell you didn't even ask me! How can you even _expect_ that I'd even want to be near you, let alone sleep with _you_!" Justin fumed.

"That's enough" Brian snapped back and pushed Justin back until he was hit against the wall, trapping him effectively between his two muscled arms.

Justin struggled to push away but Brian's grip was vice-like.

"I don't see why you're complaining, most people would die to be in your position"

"Well I'd rather die than be in this position!" Justin yelled at his face. "And I already love somebody else!"

Brian slapped Justin straight-across the face when he heard the blond confess that he loved somebody else. He didn't know why but horrendous pain engulfed him when he imagined the blond wanting someone else.

Justin touched the spot where he had been slapped. He could feel the stinging pain burning against his cheek. This was the first time he had ever been hit in his life, hell he was never even yelled not even once by his parents and now this bloody... Without thinking twice, Justin slapped him back as hard as he could with a resounding clap.

Brian moved back at that unexpected blow, his hand masked the spot where Justin had hit him. He still couldn't comprehend that he had just been slapped by this boy, an insignificant piece of blond boy ass. First surprise, then anger seared through him like a rocket that was about to burst. You didn't want to be in the way of a man who's ego had been bruised especially Kinney's.

In a quick motion, he pulled Justin hard by his shirt, tearing it slightly and pushed him onto the bed. He then pulled out his sword and pointed it at the blonde's throat.

"Do that again, and I'll make _sure_ that your parents will get a little memento in remembrance for their son" Brian threatened menacingly, slightly piercing the sword into Justin's throat. Justin' adam's apple boggled up and down against the threatening metal.

He then pulled the sword away from his throat and pushed it down his body slowly cutting the laces on Justin's shirt revealing the creamy pale flesh underneath and threw the sword to the side after he finished.

"Remember I'm your husband now" Brian told him, moving closer towards him so that his breath hit the blond. Brian climbed onto the bed himself and kneeled such that one of his knees was in between Justin's legs, while the other was outside effectively trapping his lower body.

Brian felt delicious shivers run through his body as he licked the fleshy bottom lip. He _needed_ to have him.

In a fit of anger and rage in response to Brian's statement, Justin pulled off his ring and threw the ring against Brian's face. It hit Brian's cheek and bounced off onto the bed.

Brian with his free hand grabbed a handful of Justin's hair in his fist tightly and brought his face near him.

"You insolent twat. What you need is some discipline isn't it? Papa and mama must have spoiled you too much"

"Ow...Brian" Justin said as he felt the pain scorching down his scalp.

"Mmm...Say my name again" Brian said and pulled Justin's bottom lips with his teeth but released his grip on his hair. He then gripped Justin's both the wrists in one hand and held it above his head while he allowed his other hand to explore the soft skin squirming underneath him, pinching his nipples.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Justin yelled as he tried to struggle free from Brian. He tried freeing his arms but that failed, Brian was so strong. Justin could feel himself getting hard as Brian's knee rubbed against his crotch and with Brian touching everywhere and anywhere, his body was going out of control. He didn't want Brian to be near him but his body was betraying him.

Brian then tried to undress himself wanting to feel Justin's lithe body against his own. He unbuckled his belt and then removed his vest and shirt but still kept his pants on. Then he stripped off Justin's already torn clothes and tried unbuttoning Justin's tight pants and then roughly tore them apart, not able to control himself.

Justin couldn't move his legs and he couldn't free his hands. He was completely immobilized. This night was slowly turning into a nightmare.

Brian then pressed their erections together and Justin gasped in pleasure but he couldn't stop the tears that started flowing from his eyes. He didn't want this. He wanted to be back at his home not under the clutches of this man.

"Don't do this..." Justin pleaded. Justin was so scared, he was hard but he was mentally not prepared for this.

Brian still held Justin's wrists tightly above his head and bent down and he pressed his lips hard against the softer ones but the blond didn't kiss him back. He could feel the blond shake and tremble violently underneath him. He pulled away and he could see the tears flowing down his face, staining his face, lips quivering. His face was filled with distraught, and his blue eyes emitted some sort of sadness that pierced into Brian's heart.

Brian then slowly released the grip on his wrists and got up from the bed. The blond immediately curved himself into a foetal position. Brian felt his heart sinking and without another word he quickly dressed and left the room leaving Justin on the bed all alone.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End Notes:<strong>

A little fact: Henrietta Maria too was married to King Charles by using a proxy. (Someone else stood in for King Charles I at their marriage ceremonial).


	3. Meet the family

Justin was awake but his eyes were still closed, desperately hoping that when he'd open his eyes he'd be back in his own bed and in his own home. His face was still stained with salt from his tears since last night. He suddenly felt the sunlight burning his face and Justin quickly hid his face into the pillow.

"Are you really that blind that you can't see a person sleeping in here?" He heard Brian ask.

Justin's body reflexively tensed at the sound of Brian's voice and reality hit him once again like a bucket of ice cold water.

"Pardon me Sire. It won't happen again" The maid quickly redeemed herself and pulled the curtains close.

Justin's face relaxed once again and he turned his head towards the place where he heard Brian's voice and slowly opened one of his eyes open to peak at Brian.

Justin saw Brian buttoning his shirt from watching the reflection on the mirror. He looked immaculate, he was still so perfect...Justin could feel his body growing warmer by the second as last night's events refreshed again in his mind. He remembered how he had struggled against him and how they had argued a little violently.

The feeling of Brian's lips pressed against his own still haunted his senses.

Justin couldn't put into words on how greatly he was relieved when Brian had left the room. He saw Brian turning towards him and Justin quickly closed his eyes.

"Let him sleep for today as long as he wants but make sure that from tomorrow onwards he'd be awake by breakfast"

"Yes sire, as you wish"

Justin scrunched up his face in denial he was going to get up as he wishes _every day. _

* * *

><p>By the time Justin got up it was around noon. He reluctantly moved out the bedroom chambers to walk to the dining room which was nearly a kilometre away.<p>

The dining room was enormous with the dining table itself extending from one far end of the hall to the other end but this didn't surprise Justin, he'd had one of these when he was at home.

What surprised him were the people sitting on the table. There were about six people sitting at the table and the only person Justin could distinguish was Michael because he was present on his marriage day. What a joke, Justin thought when his memory flashed back to the event.

"Good afternoon Prince, how are you feeling?" Michael asked jauntily.

"Another one of Brian's victims" A woman sneered, rolling her eyes. Justin cast his eyes at the woman who talked. She had short brown hair that ran till her shoulder. Her face was a combination of poison and honey. She had a conniving look but beautiful none the less.

"Come on Melanie, don't scare him" Michael said.

Justin was a little confused when he heard that he was "one of the victims". Did that mean he wasn't the only one who suffered this fate? Justin didn't know if that piece of information made him feel better or even worse.

The woman named Melanie sat right next to Michael. On Michael's left-hand side, a calm looking gentleman sat reading a book who was unperturbed by Justin's appearance or Melanie's biting words. To Justin, it looked he was used to this sort of drama on a regular basis.

Next to the woman named Melanie, another equally gorgeous woman sat next to her. She had thick, long wavy blonde hair that touched right till her hip line. Unlike Melanie she seemed to have a kinder face, a sort of motherly kind of one. She smiled sincerely when she saw Justin, Justin half-smiled not knowing who she really was.

A few seats away from the blonde woman sat _another_ woman.

She was sitting all alone playing with the cutlery in a dreamy way, lost in thought. She too like Melanie had dark chocolate hair but it was far longer than Melanie's and the blonde woman's hair put together. Justin could see the from the side view that her hair had touched the floor.

The way she dressed seemed a little odd. The top part of her dress covered only one side of her shoulder while the sleeve on her other shoulder was dragged down up to her elbow which exposed one side of her shoulder and the side part of her chest. Justin had never seen anyone else wearing a dress like that.

This woman exuded a strange sense of charm. The way she dressed and her posture illustrated a type of character that tended to break the rules, a daring sort of person but at the same time her face looked meek and innocent.

She wore a bored face but that instantly changed when Justin's eyes met hers. Justin could feel a strange attraction towards that woman perhaps it was because the way she was looking at him, staring back at him with her dark grey-coloured eyes. Justin could still feel her eyes on him even after Justin pulled away from that strong gaze.

Justin was soon distracted from listening to the chattering and bickering of Michael, Melanie and the blond woman about inane matters. He hated them already.

When Brian entered the room with his guard, the room grew silent. Michael and the man with the book were the only ones to stand up while the rest of them were still seated. Justin didn't stand up either.

Justin peeked up at Brian but quickly looked back down at his empty plate. He didn't know why but each time Brian would be near him or even glance at him. Justin's heart rate would double, even triple the times his normal rate.

Brian looked at Justin and a quick flash of pain crossed his face but he quickly composed his face, back into its stony self again as he sat down on the main chair of the dining table which was at the head of the dining table. He then motioned his guard to sit as well.

Once everyone was seated, Michael got up with the intention of making an announcement.

"Since its Prince Kinney's first time at our table, I'd like to first make introductions. Would you grant permission Sire?" Michael asked earnestly.

Justin flinched inwardly at the sound of his new manipulated name. He was Justin Taylor, god dammit.

"Sure" Brian muttered. It was like this every time and Brian knew that Michael loved to make these introductions, it made him feel that it was his family, they were his people, making that clear to the outsiders.

Brian trusted Michael like he was his own brother which made sense in a way because the woman that actually took care of Brian was none other than Michael's mother herself, his mother on the other hand...was a pathetic woman. Debbie was his nanny but she had died on the turn of his sixteenth birthday.

And soon after his father had died, his mother had passed away too but Brian knew that if hell and heaven did exist he knew where they'd be at, in the deepest pits of hell. And he couldn't care less.

"Thank you Sire"

"You already met me I'm Michael Novotny, Minister and also advisor for the King." Michael said pointing to himself.

Justin nodded his head. He too was curious to know who these people were and wanted to know how they could tolerate living with a man like Brian Kinney in charge.

"This man next to me is Theodore Schmidt. He is the treasurer for Brian's wealth and an absolute genius in the field of mathematics."

"Greetings Prince" Theodore said looking up shyly up at him and then dived back into his book again.

"Next to Theodore is Ben Bruckner. Ben is the head of our army and also Brian's guard" Michael introduced.

"Greetings Prince" Ben said sincerely.

Justin nodded but he couldn't help notice but how handsome Ben was.

"On my right hand is Melanie Kinney. She is the youngest daughter of the Kinney family and also acts as the advisor" Michael said pointing to the short haired brunette.

"Is this really necessary?" Melanie asked cynically and didn't bother with the greeting.

Michael continued nonetheless and "The woman sitting next to Melanie is Lindsey Peterson-Kinney, wife of Melanie"

"Nice to meet you Taylor" Lindsey said courteously.

"And on the far end of the table is..."

"Thank you Michael but I'll make my own introduction" The woman declared.

Justin watched the woman get up from her chair. She walking gracefully towards him and seated herself right next to Justin. She turned her upper body towards Justin.

Justin could see Brian rolling his eyes in irritation through his peripheral vision.

"I'm Cynthia" She purred seductively into Justin's ear and a chill ran down Justin's spine.

"Cynthia..."Brian called out to her in a threateningly low voice so that she's stop with harassing Justin.

"Can't I have a little bit of fun brother?" She asked like a little child.

"So that's Cynthia Kinney, middle daughter of the Kinney family and also is one of the royal doctors in this palace" Michael said finishing up the last of introductions.

She then dragged one of her finely polished nails aimlessly over Justin's cheek.

"Brother always has the best toys" She exasperated quietly.

Justin looked at her strangely, he should've guessed that she was his sister. Charisma and good looks might be one thing but the other trait of being mental seemed to be highly common among the family too.

Lunch soon started arriving and Justin's bile that too started rising. He saw mounds of cooked animals on the table and the smell of cooked meat was redolent in the air.

"Bon appétit!" The cook yelled. He was a tall lanky figure with a gap between his teeth. He had cheerful face.

"I cooked all your favourites Sire, since I thought you would need all the energy..." The man commented and looked at Justin and back at him suggestively.

"Don't embarrass me Emmett but thank you" Brian replied. Emmett was another character that Brian didn't mind having around the house. And he was the only other person, not counting the people who were sitting around the table to be able to have the guts to joke around with the King. The Honeycutts had been cooks for generations for the Kinney family, maybe that was one of the reasons, Emmett felt like he had the privilege to talk to the king that way.

"Mm...It looks delicious, thanks Emmett" Cynthia complimented.

Mounds of cooked chicken, lamb and pig were cooked along with various other side dishes. Bottles of wine were placed on the tables and then later were poured into their glasses.

A taster first tasted the food and when he gave the signal, the waiter then started serving the food up onto their plates.

Justin was served a piece of a chicken. He stared at the chicken leg. He picked it up with his fork but had no desire to eat it.

Ten minutes went by and Justin was still playing with his chicken leg.

"Why aren't you eating?" Brian asked when he realised that Justin hadn't touched his food and he was already going for his second serving.

"We don't eat meat" Justin replied coldly. A hint of disgust in his tone was blatantly evident. His home place wasn't called the purest place on earth, for no reason. Killing either animals nor people was a big no.

"Then I guess you'll have to make it a habit then, you _are _one of us now" Brian asserted.

Justin fumed silently but didn't say anything nor started eating.

"Eat" Brian ordered.

Justin still didn't do anything.

"I said EAT!" Brian ordered again but this time his voice grew louder.

Everyone else on the table stopped eating and watched the drama unfold.

Melanie couldn't believe that Justin was actually defying Brian's orders. He was signing his own death warrant. It was the first time she saw any of Brian's husbands act this way, act like Brian didn't matter.

"No..." Justin said quietly but everyone could comprehend what he'd said anyway.

"Prince Kinney, please don't do this to yourself" Michael pleaded silently.

"I said I don't WANT TO EAT!" Justin cried out infuriated. He then got up at such a speed, that his chair had moved back a couple of inches. He _hated_ this place, he _hated_ these people and he _hated _people calling him _Kinney_.

And in a paroxysm of rage he then threw his plate down on the floor. The sound of the plate shattering echoed in the hall as it splattered into a thousand pieces against the cold tiles. The piece of chicken flew a couple of feet away landing near Brian's chair.

"And don't EVER call me Prince Kinney AGAIN because I will NEVER be one of you" Justin raged. His breathing growing ragged.

Lindsey actually gasped out loud while Melanie's mouth dropped open. Cynthia was the only who was smiling, impressed at the boy's guts, pity he was going to die though.

Ben got up urgently, afraid that the king might be in danger while Michael looked at Brian, his body completely cowering at what his reaction would be. Theodore glanced at Justin and back at Brian waiting for the explosion to happen.

Brian looked down, his expression calm like the lull before a storm. He then stood up slowly, moved menacingly towards Justin and when he was at reach he gripped Justin's sleeve in his hand tightly and dragged him closer.

"_You_ will be spending three days in one of our cells without even a drop of water... Maybe then you'll change your mind" Brian hissed. He then pushed Justin onto the floor with such a force that Justin had landed on his knees with a thud and a few broken pieces from the plate embedded themselves into his palm.

"Ben take him away, he'll spending some time _alone _till he learns his lesson. And make sure that you give him plenty of meat, _only_" Brian said looking at Justin in the end.

"Yes sire" Ben said and pulled Justin up.

"Don't touch me!" Justin hissed.

"Keep your distance Ben" Brian warned him.

"Of course" Ben said and this time, he asked the blond to follow him.

After Justin had left with Ben, Melanie erupted.

"You're not killing him?" She asked, surprised. Even Cynthia perked her ears up, she too was downright curious at her brother's uncharacteristic response.

"It's none of your business what I'm going to do with him!" Brian scowled at her.

"Jesus, I was just asking Brian. You're always the first to give them the royal treatment." Melanie said, wondering why Brian had become so defensive all of a sudden.

"Hmm...Interesting" Cynthia pondered, quietly touching her own lips with her index fingers.

Brian looked at Cynthia for a minute and then walked away rolling his eyes. Cynthia's mind worked in strange ways but Brian had gotten used to it ages ago.

Out of his two sisters, it was no secret that Cynthia was the favourite one from the two.

Right from Brian's childhood, Cynthia was her brother's pet, always supporting him, lingering behind him. When they were kids Cynthia would spend hours sitting on her brother's lap, both reading from the same book Brian would hold. Through the years, they had developed a special bond. Cynthia was the only one in his family to point out his bullshit and was never scared to do so.

Melanie on the other hand was a complete anti-copy of Cynthia. She was usually loud and was determined to do and say everything that was against her brother. They'd probably had more arguments than they had normal humane conversations.

Even though she didn't show it, Brian knew that deep inside Mel would always be bitter against their parents for choosing Brian to lead and not her. Although Melanie had to admit that she wouldn't stand a chance against competing with her brother. However after Lindsey came into the picture, Melanie's mood had significantly changed and she became quite content with herself which Brian felt an undeniable envy for, though he didn't show it. He couldn't understand the whole "love" bullshit thing.

Cynthia watched her brother's retreating back and she knew that there was something going on in her Brian's head. Giving the boy a second chance? What next...she thought to herself.

* * *

><p>Justin was guided in to an empty cellar. It was dark, cold and shabby. He had never seen such a filthy place in his life ever before. He blew the dust of anold wooden bench and sat on it apprehensively. He would be staying here for what? Three whole days...there was no bed, no soft quilts. How would he survive in these conditions?<p>

The door was then opened and a plate full of chicken was passed along the floor.

Justin's blood boiled, he was a prince dammit. How could they treat him like this? Justin hugged his knees as tears silently cascaded down his cheeks.

* * *

><p>"Is he going to live?" Brian asked as he watched Cynthia checking the pulse of the pale blond sleeping on his bed.<p>

It had been nearly two days since the dining room incident and two days since Justin was exiled to the dungeons underneath. And before he even finished his full course of punishment, news had arrived from one of the guards that the prince had fainted.

Brian had actually panicked for the first time in his life, worried that the blond might in fact could die. He told himself that he felt that way because he hadn't tried Justin yet and it would be such a shame if he died before that.

"You actually care Brian?" Cynthia asked.

"Why don't you just answer the damn question?" Brian retorted back.

"He'll live. When he woke up after he fainted, I made eat some fruits and water a couple of hours ago. He's exhausted Brian and I don't think he ate much in the past few days either. His energy reserves are pretty close to nil, so thanks to your added punishment you might actually need to wait a couple of days before you start pounding his ass again" Cynthia said seriously and then something crossed her mind. She then looked at her brother who had this guilty look on his face.

"Wait...you haven't slept with him, have you?"

Cynthia got her confirmation when Brian was still silent, not making eye-contact. She stood up excitedly.

"Finally someone who doesn't want to just bend ov'r for the king" Cynthia said sounding greatly relieved.

"Fuck off Cynthia" Brian hissed.

"Give him some time Brian, this one's different."

"Clearly..." He said quietly.

"Funny, he wanted to die than listen to you that should be a first for you..." Cynthia said referring to his past marriages.

Brian remained quiet.

"So I'll be back after an hour or two" Cynthia said as she started to move towards the door.

"Cynthia" Brian called to her.

"Yes Brian?"

"Let him eat whatever he wants"

Cynthia smiled to herself and closed the door shut.

When Cynthia had left, Brian sat next to the blond on the bed.

He then gently caressed Justin's hands softly before bringing them up to his lips to kiss those blistered hands, tiny little cuts made by the shards of the ceramic plate. He hadn't wanted to push the blond but in that minute of rage, he had to show who was in control.

His want for Justin doubled each day but after their first night together, Justin's sad, doleful eyes haunted him to no wits end and the notion that Justin didn't want him back greatly frustrated him.

Brian had never met a person who was this stubborn, other than himself of course. He couldn't believe Justin had decided to die rather than comply with his orders. Brian should've killed Justin for rebelling against him but honestly he had secretly enjoyed watching his antics a little. He was so getting sick of the obsequious behaviour that everyone were subjecting him to and then Justin came along and posed him a challenge, fearlessly. Justin was feisty no doubt about that and maybe he was starting to like that more than he wanted to admit.

He gently stroked Justin's cheek with his thumb as he admired the beauty that lay vulnerable before him. Not even an angel could've compared with his blond.

"You entrance me Justin" He said quietly as he bent to place a chaste kiss on his lips and then left Justin alone to sleep.

* * *

><p>Justin woke up to find one maid fanning for him while the other was getting the food ready. The tray was packed with fruits and bread. He saw Cynthia reading a book on the chaise. She looked up when she heard the bed sheets ruffling.<p>

"How are you feeling?" Cynthia asked, closing her book.

Justin shrugged his shoulders, his mouth felt quite dry. He looked around for a jug of water.

Cynthia understood what Justin needed, so she got up to pour him a glass of water herself.

Cynthia gave him the water and Justin drank it in, all one go, relinquishing in the amazing feeling of cold water trickle down his throat.

"Here start with this bread, and then you can increase the amount of intake with each hour, okay?" Cynthia said and offered him the piece of bread.

Justin looked at Cynthia but didn't take the food.

"Justin, you need to eat" Cynthia said a bit more sternly.

"I'm not going to eat unless the king apologizes" Justin declared obstinately.

"Cynthia retracted her arm slowly and stared at Justin. He wanted Brian to apologize, _Brian of all people to apologize. _Oh boy, Justin really needed a wake-up call.

"Look Justin, I understand that you're new around here but for one thing Brian doesn't apologize...so it might not be a good idea to..."

"I don't want to hear it, the king apologizes for his actions or I die. I'm not going to continue living in a place where I'm treated worse than shit."

Cynthia nodded slowly.

"Come with me Justin, I have to show you something..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Hello to all my readers :)

I just wanted to tell you about my update schedule it'll be every week on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. If I won't be able to update, I will notify this on the week before itself.

Cheers, Rica

And thank you to all of those who have reviewed my story! Greatly appreciated!

Special note to one my readers- Maria- Thank you for that awesome review! Sorry for keeping you waiting this long, I hope you like it :)


	4. Taking a leap from your high horse

"Come with me" Cynthia said cryptically.

Justin quirked an eyebrow but got up anyway. He was feeling quite weak but not enough that he'd be chained to his bed. Not to forget that he had mindlessly eaten the food that Cynthia had fed him after he fainted.

Since the past few days Justin had only explored the dining room and Brian's bedroom. He felt like a little bug walking among the humungous corridors. Justin was used to walking in massive palaces but this was no ordinary palace, it was fit for a giant.

Cynthia took the exit out to the palace gardens and a maid readily followed behind her to carry her long hair from stopping it being swept on the dirty ground.

After what seemed like ages, they finally reached an area that seemed to be concealed with over grown trees, uncut hedges and out of control creepers that crawled all over the gate that Cynthia had just opened.

"What did you want me to show Cynthia?" Justin asked, drudging behind her.

"Hmm...Some memories of Brian's past" She replied enigmatically.

"What do you mean?" Justin asked curiously as they walked in.

Justin's bulb had finally switched on as he realised on what ground he was standing on.

He was in a cemetery.

Rows of headstones stuck out the ground, some big, some small but all seemed uncanny.

"Wh...Why are we here Cynthia?" Justin stuttered lightly, as they plunged deeper into the graveyard. Justin felt an eerie shiver run down his spine.

It was unusually windy that day and dark ominous clouds hid the sun. Justin wasn't usually superstitious but he couldn't feel but that there was something far worse that was yet to happen.

The sounds of dried leaves crackling underneath his footsteps which were the only sounds that echoed amidst the grand arena of decomposing bodies.

Justin saw one person working near one of the graves. He was picking out some weed from the ground, cleaning up the area. He looked up through his blond locks that had fallen across his forehead. The man had eyes like knives that seemed to throw daggers at Justin.

Justin felt uncomfortable in his gaze and looked away from the creepy cemetery guy.

Cynthia suddenly stopped and Justin bumped into her. He then looked at where Cynthia was staring at and Justin observed that unlike the other headstones, all these stones were in a particular shape and size.

Justin squinted his eyes to read the nearest head stone.

_Lenore Kinney- Husband of Brian Kinney_

He then read the next and he slowly walked the row, reading one headstone after the other.

All of them had one thing in common...they were _all _husbands of Brian Kinney.

"These were the eight people that Brian had married" Cynthia said confirming Justin's inner turmoil that was boiling underneath.

Justin stepped backwards, feeling like someone had ripped open his paper thin floor beneath him and he was falling down, with nowhere to land.

"Justin..." Cynthia called out and supported him by his shoulders.

Justin's heart was clouded with darkness as he thought about the intensity of Brian's malignity. Justin now understood. He was just one of the many lives that Brian had played with. He was nothing special.

"Did he..." Justin started but then stopped, afraid that his emotions might be revealed. He closed his eyes for a second before opening them and then continued.

"Did he kill all of them?" Justin asked, far more confidently this time.

Cynthia slowly nodded.

"Should've guessed" Justin said laughing a little, his face then turned serious.

"Well congratulations Cynthia, you've accomplished your goal of scaring little Justin but let me make this clear if you think this..." Justin said pointing to the graves and continued "is will turn me into a dog that would lap at its master, I suggest you think of something better."

Cynthia laughed, she could understand why Brian was interested in keeping this boy. The boy was fire, beautiful to look at but alas it'd burn your skin when touched.

"Relax there, Justin. You might faint again."

Justin glared at her.

"Excuse us alone for now Ington" Cynthia said and the girl carefully dropped her hair on to the ground below, bowed and left.

"Look Justin, I didn't bring you here to scare you..." Cynthia started and then her eyes darted towards the first headstone.

"This here is...Lenore, Brian's first." Cynthia started. She wanted to shed some light on what kind of person Justin was dealing with.

Justin listened even though he had no idea why Cynthia was talking about Brian's exes, to scare him even more than he already was?

But he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious. He wondered on what grounds Brian had testified to kill them. It would at least prepare him in a way. He could picture his headstone and Justin shuddered at the thought. He concentrated on Cynthia's words instead of thinking about his own death.

"He was his teacher, taught him everything from how to hold the sword right till losing his virginity" Cynthia said, her voice holding contempt.

"Brian loved him...He was so impatient that he got married before he even turned 17"

Justin couldn't believe that Brian was even capable of that emotion called love. Now that he'd seen the graves, he really did have his doubts that Brian even possessed a heart.

"It lasted for a very long time...four years"

"Four years?" Justin mocked.

"Compared to his other marriages...it was Justin"

Justin found himself nodding, not liking what he was hearing.

"So mind if I ask, what happened? Why did Brian kill him?"

Cynthia nodded and continued.

"Brian loved him but Lenore didn't...He used him for all the riches he could get his hands on and Brian was naive and young, he let that pass by even if it was happening right under his nose. It got worse after Brian had come into power, things were hell back then."

She then paused for a little while and continued.

"I guess, not even the financial drain made Brian want to kill him but he finally snapped one day... when he found out that Lenore had slept with half the servants in the palace itself."

Justin's eyes widened. He couldn't stop but feel sorry for Brian, that a man he he loved had betrayed him. Maybe Brian wasn't so cold-hearted and that he too was capable of getting bruised. Although he couldn't quite understand how anyone would want to sleep with someone else when they had a man like Brian, considering the fact that the man was physically perfect. Objectively speaking of course, Justin wasn't attracted or anything.

As if Cynthia had read his mind, she told him.

"And Justin, it's not my intention to make you feel pity nor compassion for him. I only want you to understand him for what he is..."

Justin nodded slowly.

"You might not believe me but he was quite broken and this was the time when Brian had started to look for a way, a distraction of some sort that stopped him from thinking about his betrayal and then he started his hunt for power."

"Right" Justin responded, Brian was quite a complicated man than he'd imagined but he understood one thing the man's past ran deep in his veins.

"So let's continue on our tour shall we?"

"Lead the way" Justin said sarcastically.

Cynthia had moved on to the second grave.

"Ah, yes this grave is worth spitting on. This is Marcus. He was actually the king of the north kingdom."

"Oh..."

"This man had actually resorted tto kill Brian in his sleep, son of a bit..." Cynthia scorned but before she could finish, some one else interrupted.

"Fuck!"

Cynthia and Justin both turned around to look at the person who shouted out the expletive. It was the same blond haired man that glared at Justin a while ago.

"You okay?" Cynthia asked when she saw that his knuckles were scraped and blood was splattered over his hand. Obviously that man had hit his fist against something hard. Was that on accident or on purpose?

The man grunted out a response and looked darkly up at her.

"Your name?" Cynthia asked.

"Brandon"

"Brandon... next time I ask you a question, respond" She snapped.

Brandon nodded his head and left. He didn't even bow his head. Cynthia seemed to be lost in thought for a while but then resumed back to her introductions.

"Now where were we?" Cynthia asked innocently.

* * *

><p>"There's a little problem Brian" Cynthia said walking into the library.<p>

"What's that?" Brian said but still continued reading his book.

"Well, your husband doesn't want to eat..."

"What do you mean he doesn't _want _to eat?" Brian asked sarcastically.

"He refuses to eat until you _apologize_ for your arbitrary actions" She replied acutely.

Brian laughed. Justin sure knew how to dream high.

"In that case, you can order for a new coffin for him then, ask him if he likes ebony?"

"Quit the quips, we both _know_ what you want" Cynthia retorted.

"Fine, Fine, you're right..."

Cynthia smiled brightly although wary of his sudden change.

"I really was dying to try one of those torture devices." Brian said his voice animated, he then closed his book and turned to look at Cynthia animatedly, like a child that clutched his favourite toy.

"Why don't we tie a few kilos of lead to his balls and make him run around the place. What do you think?"

And...he was back once again.

"Can you stop being a dick for once, please?"

Brian's excited face switched into a glare and he replied rather solemnly.

"Look Cynthia, I'm not going to bend over backwards for some spoilt blond boy. I could care less if he lives or dies"

Cynthia stared at his face for some time and blinked at him.

"You're not too good at lying Brian"

Brian exhaled in annoyance and rolled his eyes.

"Anyways remember Brandon?" Cynthia asked, remembering the rude man in the cemetery.

"Brandon...no"

"You know Marcus's brother" Cynthia hinted.

"Oh...What about him?" Brian asked. Remembering about Marcus had triggered his memory of Brandon.

"I didn't know that he worked in our graveyards" Cynthia said sounding surprised.

"Hmm...well he has to work somewhere and by the way what were _you_ doing in a graveyard?"

Back then, Brandon was only a teenager with no where to go and Brian didn't want to kill him for his brother's deeds anyway, so he decided to make him work in his own palace.

"He could become dangerous, you know, like his brother"

Brian laughed "Yes, and unicorns do exist"

"And you didn't answer my question, what were you doing in our graveyards?" Brian asked her again.

"I was visiting mother and father"

"Bullshit."

"Oh my god..." Cynthia exclaimed.

"What?" Brian asked.

"I think I saw a unicorn, I'll talk to you later."

With that Cynthia had left the room, leaving Brian inside, who shook his head dismally.

He knew Cynthia was hiding something, but now more pressing matters had to be dealt with. He needed to make his disposition clear to Justin.

Brian Kinney doesn't apologize.

* * *

><p>Justin locked himself in a secluded part of the palace gardens. After his graveyard visit, Justin had aimlessly walked around the garden and had fortuitously found this place amongst the bushes down a small slope that lead into this beautiful isolated place. He was pretty much surrounded by trees but an open space lied in the centre.<p>

Justin sat on the ground with his arms wrapped around his knees as he picked on the petals of a flower mindlessly, thinking about Brian Kinney. His mind recapped on the events that had happened since that morning. After Cynthia's revelations Justin saw Brian in a completely different light. They were all stories of similar deceit and betrayal some even going at such lengths of trying to even poison his food. Some were on their agenda to claim power for themselves and some were just pawns controlled by someone else. In the end they all wanted what Brian had in his pockets than Brian himself.

And in the end no one had lasted even a month, the pattern of deceit finally seemed to take a toll on Brian's ability to trust. He killed them before they could kill him.

_"Most of these men fawned all over him filling him up with fulsome praise but having a knife behind their back." _

_"He's got so used to this pattern and then you arrive and I've never seen my brother so confused in my life" _

_ "I understand you're hostility towards Brian, but why don't you give him a chance, you might even like him."_

_Cynthia's words rung in his head. _

But Justin knew that will _never_ happen as long as he has air in his lungs. He had lost too much.

The black clouds finally yielded into rain and a fine mist of water droplets sprayed forth from the skies. But Justin sat still, unperturbed by the light drizzling that now covered his hands and neck with tiny droplets of water.

"Justin"

Justin turned around and saw Brian. He was wearing a simple white tunic with a v-shaped neck that ran up till his thighs. He accessorised that with a black belt on top and wore black pants underneath. He didn't wear his crown and he could see Brian running his hand freely through his hair. As if right on cue, Justin's heart drummed against his chest and he felt as if his stomach had been turned inside-out as he watched the man coming closer towards him.

"Finally found you..." Brian said. Apparently all the maids had tried to locate him but had failed to do so. Brian had rubbed his forehead in frustration until he realised there was one area which he knew was out of bounds, one that he had found as a child and marked it as his own. Justin wouldn't have known this, if he had found it.

That area was well hidden from the public eye. It was the one where Brian used it to get away from the hassles of his obnoxious parents and free himself from the burdens of being superficial.

When he saw the broken twigs and fresh leaves on the ground, Brian knew that he had been right on his assumptions. He was pleasantly surprised that Justin had found his childhood getaway.

Justin stood up and came face to face with Brian.

"You should go and eat" Brian insisted.

"Or what? You're going to starve me again? Put me under a guillotine? " Justin defied. The rain started falling heavily now but neither of them cared that they were getting drenched.

Brian sighed in exasperation as he wiped his wet face with his hand.

But Brian had to admit Justin looked hot when he was angry, the bottom lip slightly pouting out in anger and frustration. If Brian could have his way, he would be ripping of his clothes and fucking him right here, this second.

His white tunic had become fully drenched now and the fabric had became transparent and moulded against his taut, firm chest. Justin was briefly distracted as he watched the drops of water cascading down his neck that disappeared down the v-shaped part of his chest and swallowed hard when he saw the skin underneath. Both their hairs were now dripping with water.

"Apologies are useless and redundant Justin. I never had the need to use the word and I don't have one now either." Brian explained to him.

"So whether you want to live or not, that's your choice" He stated simply, like it didn't matter.

Justin fumed inside. The man made his blood boil. He didn't why he'd felt compassion for him a few hours ago.

"You know Brian..." He started, looking at Brian with a murderous gaze.

In the background, a thunder cracked in the distant skies, further fuelling the fire that burned between them.

"You... repel me..." Justin spat venomously.

Brian scoffed a little but then his face turned deadly serious.

Before Justin could realise what was even happening. Brian grasped the back of Justin's head and smashed his lips against the wet ones. Brian heard a muffled moan and it didn't know if it was from either protest or pleasure. With his other hand, Brian wrapped it around Justin's waist and brought his body closer to him. Their wet bodies mashing against each other, making them look like one.

Brian nipped at his lips a few times and before Justin even realised, he felt something bumpy against his back. Brian had driven him against a tree. The tree provided them a temporary shelter from the hurling rain.

Brian pressed his wet body against Justin's.

"Do I Justin?" He asked menacingly.

Brian was fast falling in love with Justin's sky blue eyes that reflected a spectrum of emotions. Right now it reflected surprise and... lust? Or was that just his own mind deluding him to see what he wanted to see.

Before Justin could utter even a word, Brian dived straight for Justin's vulnerable neck. Justin let out a strangled moan and he berated himself for not being able to keep it in. Justin arched his head against the tree, not realising that this only allowed Brian to have more control over his body.

Brian moved a step back and then slowly slid his hand into Justin's pants and took hold of his cock in his wet hand, pleased that it was hardening by the seconds. The feeling of Justin's cock in his hand was indescribable. Brian moved his hand up and down and got so hard just from feeling it in his hand.

Justin's mouth opened in shock and he fell forwards when he felt Brian's hand curling around his cock. He couldn't help but close his eyes as his cock was repeatedly being squeezed and rubbed by Brian's hand. God, it felt so good. No one had ever made him feel this way, made him feel so sexually aroused. But at the same time it felt so wrong.

Justin's flushed appearance only brought Brian over the edge as he bent down and bit down on Justin's collar bone, partly in anger at Justin's declaration and partly to wanting to just own him.

"Arghh" Justin groaned, his body was becoming more aroused by the second. He was about to protest and tell Brian to stop and tell him to fuck off, but the minute Brian's languid strokes against his cock turned to faster and much more quicker strokes. Justin had lost his sense of speech and his mind. His hands clawed at the bark behind him.

Brian pressed against the tip of Justin's cock with the stub of his thumb and Justin arched into Brian's hand reflexively, moaning. Justin then gripped Brian's shoulder and clawed his nails deep into Brian's back as he felt Brian kissing him on his cheek, his chin, his neck. He pushed down Justin's sleeve roughly, kissing and biting down his shoulder. Not letting Justin have even a small break.

Brian couldn't control himself, it was like a kid that was given the key to a candy store, only this was much more sweeter...and much more addictive. While his mouth was busy sucking on Justin's pulse point on his neck, he slipped his other free hand to squeeze and feel Justin's luscious ass. Fuck, how he wanted to push Justin onto all his fours and satisfy his aching cock.

Justin was panting loudly, short gasps of breath as his senses were filled with nothing but mind-wrecking pleasure. He was feeling incredibly close and in seconds Justin climaxed, shooting ribbons of cum into Brian's eager hand. His knees trembled uncontrollably and Justin felt that he'd fall any minute.

Brian pulled his hand out, which was now covered with Justin's cum.

"I guess you were right, I do repel you" Brian mocked as he licked the dripping cum from his hand. I t tasted completely different, Justin's cum was sweet. Brian then surmised it must have been because of Justin's diet. Fuck, Justin was completely, deliciously irresistible.

Justin was still breathing heavily as he slowly slid against the tree until he crouched onto his knees on the cold muddy ground. He wasn't able to comprehend what had happened in the last few minutes. It all happened in a flash. He was still trembling wildly and he felt like the last of his energy had been sucked out.

Justin touched his own quivering lips. He moved his hand down his neck where Brian had repeatedly abused that place. He had never felt so dirty in his life.

* * *

><p><strong>Dining Room<strong>

It was dinner time and Justin was once again missing from the table.

Brian sighed, part of him wanted to do anything to get the blond eating back again but his other conflicting part told him that he had a status, an image that he had to uphold and that some boy shouldn't change that.

Brian played around with the food thinking about what Justin was doing. He couldn't believe that he had ravished the blond like that, his control nearly went out the window but fuck, those first touches only increased his desire to be with him. He was getting so hard again just from thinking about Justin's moans. Shit, what was happening to him?

* * *

><p><strong>Past Midnight <strong>

Brian ran his hand through his silky hair. This was getting absolutely ridiculous, he was actually feeling nervous. Brian Kinney does not feel nervous.

He pushed the door in to go inside their bedroom chambers. The room was faintly lit which meant that Justin was still awake.

Brian sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the blond lying next to him. He knew Justin wasn't asleep, he had seen the eyes flicking open and hurriedly closing back again when the door had opened. He leaned in closer until his cheek rubbed against Justin's softer ones.

"I know you're awake, so listen carefully because I'm not going to repeat it"

"I'm...s..." Brian started but stopped. Fuck, he couldn't believe he was going to say this. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

How many more rules was he going to break for this boy?

"I'm sorry Justin" Brian finally said, quickly and quietly.

It was barely above a whisper but it had rung loud and clear in Justin's mind.

Justin's eyes fluttered open and he was met with those mesmerizing green eyes, so intense. Even after all that he'd done that evening, why did those eyes look so innocent and radiate so much sincerity?

Brian lightly rubbed Justin's cheek with his fingers while he waited for Justin to respond.

"That's not good enough" Justin retorted.

Brian laughed but ended up being more like a scoff.

"Don't push your luck..." Brian said and dropped his head lower and whispered into Justin's ear "You're already walking on the edges"

Justin turned his face away, a small smile escaping his lips. Justin couldn't believe that he Brian had finally resigned to apologize to him. After knowing all about his past and his disposition on apologies, he knew he was fighting a losing battle.

"Get up" Brian ordered.

Justin quirked a brow but nevertheless sat up against the bed's headboard, still feeling quite warm about Brian's apology.

Brian looked for some food on the side table and saw that some pieces of raspberries were missing from the fruit tarts, Brian rolled his lips into his mouth from stopping himself from smiling.

Brian picked out a plush red ripe nectarine and offered it to the blond. Justin tried grabbing the nectarine himself but Brian retracted his arm quickly.

"Brian..." Justin complained.

Brian loved it when Justin called his name, not many people called by his name and on Justin's lips, such an ordinary name sounded so exquisite.

Justin felt himself losing under Brian's scrutinizing eyes. He resigned to Brian's wishes knowing that he had no other way. He slowly parted his lips and took a chunk out of the nectarine. Justin watched Brian's eyes darken as his lips became moistened with the juices of the fruit.

Brian pulled the fruit away and moved in closer to lick the dribbling sweet juice that ran down from Justin's lips to his chin. He could feel Justin's breathing growing ragged, as Brian's tongue reached his lips.

Justin closed his eyes for what he knew would be coming, Brian would take him all over again and he didn't even have the energy to protest.

But nothing happened. Justin opened his eyes to see that Brian was walking away still holding the nectarine from which he had taken a bite from. Justin couldn't stop himself from feeling a tinge of disappointment but he brushed it away.

Brian let him go this

time, he needed his rest. But sooner or later Brian knew that he'd will the boy to his wishes. Justin belonged to him after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter End Notes<strong>

_First of all I am so sorry, I forgot to put the dividers for the previous chapter, I'm trying to re-edit those. I feel so bad that you guys had to read like that. Sorry..._**  
><strong>

And I've got some bad news. I won't be able to update next week! Sorry again...but Uni has become so stressful. =

Tata for now

RiCa :)

Note to Maria! ...Wow...Thank Youuuu so much! Loved your review!... :D


	5. Dormant Desires

_Justin forced his heavy drooping eye lids to open. His body felt extremely lethargic and his brain was unable to focus. Everything was unclear and hazy. When he had finally opened them, the first thing he saw was the ceiling above, ten feet away. _

_Justin tried to move but he couldn't. His hands were bounded by shackles, its chains tied to the edges of what he thought was a bedpost. His legs too were shackled with the same heartless chains. His body made, what can be conceived as the shape of a star on the worn down bed. _

_The real panic had started when Justin realised that he was stark naked. Nothing covered him from head to toe. _

_He shivered lightly, feeling the chills pass through his unsheltered body from the cold currents sifting through the isolated room._

_He needed to get out of here with and that was with a need that was nothing short of desperation. _

_ Justin pulled and tugged but he couldn't move, they were shackles made out of solid iron, they wouldn't comply so easily. _

_Justin's heart raced in sheer trepidation. Where was he? _

_He craned his neck towards his side, his eyes widened as the surroundings became slightly familiar. It was the same cellar to which Brian had banished him to when he had disobeyed him._

_ What was he doing here? In this nightmarish place?_

_The room was considerably dark with only the light from the moon rushing out from the slits in the prison window that was high up near the ceiling. _

_"Fuck..." Justin cursed. _

_"What's wrong Justin?" A voice echoed, it was a raspy, deep seductive voice that filled the room. _

_The sounds of the chains rattling against the bedpost suddenly became silent. The struggling stopped. _

_Justin's body stilled. He knew that voice. That deep, beautiful voice, it was the same voice that could alone arouse him and make his body tingle in anticipation. _

_What was he doing here? _

_Brian stepped out of the shadows. He was half-naked, wearing only a pair of tight-fitting black pants. His chest exposed for all to Justin to see. His hair and body looked slightly wet. Brian's damp appearance only brought him back memories of that rainy day. He flushed deeply. He looked quite the same. _

_Fucking hot, that is. _

_Brian walked closer towards the chained blond, wearing a smirk. Cocky bastard...Justin thought as he felt his body temperature increase exponentially as Brian slowly closed the gap between them. _

_"Don't come near me!" Justin warned. _

_Brian chuckled and Justin's heart rate doubled. _

_"For how long are you going to wear that facade Justin? Don't you know that resisting me is impossible?" _

_He climbed on to the bed and slid right next to him. _

_Brian looked down appreciatively at the vulnerable, naked blond, and this was all for himself. _

_He bent down and whispered hotly into Justin's ear. _

_"I'm going to fuck you, I'm going to fuck you all night long"_

_Justin swallowed hard and his cock suddenly started to become alive, responding eagerly to Brian's lewd but erotically pleasing words. _

_Brian pressed his index finger against Justin's forehead and it travelled down slowly and sensually down from the centre of his forehead, down to his nose and on to his plump lips. He stopped right on the bottom lip. Brian then pushed his finger into Justin's mouth and Justin bit it aggressively. _

_"So feisty..I like that." Brian said and bent his head to kiss those warm lips._

_Brian kissed gently first, only pressing lightly on those lips but then it got rough as he grasped the back of Justin's head and pushed his tongue into Justin's mouth. _

_As Brian's tongue invaded him, Justin moaned into Brian's mouth. Not able to control the raw, primitive feelings Brian elicited inside him. _

_They kissed for a long time, their tongues battling for a while. When Brian finally broke the kiss, strings of saliva parted between them, their lips were wet and they shone in a blood red colour. Justin's lower lip was bleeding but that didn't stop from Brian attacking Justin's lips once more. _

_Brian got on top of Justin and he slowly rubbed his rock hard cock against the blond beneath him. Brian's crotch was already so wet. The wet fabric rubbed against Justin's naked cock and this was too much for Justin to handle as he arched off the bed but then fell back on the bed, as the shackles pulled him back. _

_Justin wanted to cry. His hands ached to touch Brian. His legs wanted to wrap themselves around Brian's waist. _

_"Please, Brian" Justin pleaded. This torture was becoming unbearable and Brian only wanted to make it worse. _

_"I haven't even started yet and you're already begging Justin?" Brian teased as he squeezed Justin's cock. _

_Justin closed his eyes and moaned. _

_Justin watched helplessly as Brian started to rub his left nipple, stroking it with his skilful fingers over and over again. Brian loved watching the nipple harden in his hands. He then opened his mouth around it and sucked hard while he massaged the other neglected nipple. _

_"Brian!" Justin cried, his mind breaking down at the amount of pleasure. The chains violently clashed against the bedpost as his body arched responsively to Brian's touches at the same time he was being held back by the chains. _

_Brian stopped his sucking and looked up at Justin. He saw that the corner of his eyes held unshed tears and his body glistened with sweat. _

_Brian then looked down at Justin's cock, it was fully erect and precum was leaking profusely from the head. He then looked back at Justin and smirked. _

_He then held Justin's cock in his hand and moved down until his face was near Justin's cock. _

_Justin's eyes widened as he watched Brian open his mouth around his cock. _

"Ahh.." Justin yelled and his eyes snapped open.

It was suddenly pitch black.

Justin then looked at his hands. He was free..._Where were the shackles?_

Justin was still catching his breath while he looked around the dark room. He observed that they were No shackles, No moonlight, No prison, _No Brian._

_No Brian_

Justin's heart fell. It had been a dream. His body was covered with sweat. He then felt something wet inside the crotch of his pants. He pushed his hand into his pants and felt hot semen in his hands.

He had ejaculated.

He pulled out of his bed to grab a fresh pair of pants. Justin felt deeply embarrassed as the remnants of his incredibly erotic not to mention a strikingly vivid dream flashed in his mind.

He had heard that dreams usually brought out the most inner desires out to the conscious level.

But that wasn't true, he didn't want Brian.

* * *

><p>It was quite early in the morning when Justin decided he'd walk around the garden for a while. He needed to clear out his congested head, dirty head.<p>

He walked along the flower bed when Justin suddenly bent down to get a closer look at a unique looking insect when out of the blue someone brushed past him, bumping into Justin's shoulder along the way.

"Excuse me..." Justin scowled as he turned around to glare at the person who had walked blindly into him.

Justin's heart nearly stopped when he realised who it was. It was the same man from the cemetery.

Brandon...

Brandon looked piercingly at Justin as he cryptically dropped a piece of paper onto the ground. He then pulled his hood over his head, hiding his identity, well almost. He then turned around and walked away. Justin's eyes followed the piece of paper that landed softly on the ground.

Justin picked up the paper, his hands shaking as he opened it. His eyes darted anxiously as he started to read what was inside.

_If you'd like to write your own destiny and free yourself from this place, then meet me tomorrow at 3 at the hollow tree in the graveyard. _

"Prince..."

"Huh!" Justin panicked as he automatically scrunched the paper up and fisted it into a ball of mush into his palm.

"What do you want Michael?" He asked his voice shaking lightly, feeling like a rat caught in a trap.

"The king wants to see you..." Michael said slowly. He hadn't missed Justin's panicky outburst when he had called him and more importantly nor had he missed the man in the hood walking this pathway either. Was there a connection between the two events?

Now what was Justin reading anyway? What was he hiding?

"What if I don't _want_ to see him?" Justin talked back.

Michael sighed in annoyance.

"I'm afraid I'm not your messenger, you'd have to tell him that yourself Prince" Michael said and his reply turned out to be harsher than he'd expected it to be.

"Oh but you're a messenger for Brian?" Justin asked him.

"He's an exception, I would like to continue our inane chatter about my responsibilities but I do have work to complete. The king is at the archery grounds" Michael said and left.

Justin rolled his eyes at Michael. He asked a question not a conversation.

Michael glared at the back of Justin's head as he walked off. Justin was no different to the other fuckers who had married Brian. He couldn't wait to tell Brian about Justin's suspicious behaviour and about the mysterious note he was blatantly trying to hide.

* * *

><p>Justin walked with frustration towards the grounds but then his steps slowed down significantly as he spotted Brian in the near distance.<p>

He watched him drag the string of the bow with such strength and concentration. Brian wore a loose sleeveless vest and he could see the muscles tighten as he released the arrow to shoot forth.

"Justin..." Brian called him seductively cutting off Justin's daydream. He didn't miss the flash of lust skitter across his eyes.

"What do you want?" Justin demanded, crossing his arms against his chest.

"What about you?" Brian teased light- heartedly as he pulled Justin against his chest and bit Justin's earlobe.

Brian hugged Justin tightly from behind, crossing his arms against his chest. He loved the feeling of Justin's lithe body within his arms, he somewhat felt like he was protecting the blond.

He lovingly kissed Justin's cheek.

"Anyway I called you here to ask you if you wanted to practice archery." Brian said.

"I'd rather not" Justin replied quickly.

"Why not? Don't tell me you've never used one before" Brian asked incredulously as he turned Justin around.

"Did I say that?" Justin murmured under his breath but in reality he had no idea whatsoever.

"Come on, one arrow. Let's see what you've got" Brian encouraged him.

Justin stood there and cleared his throat. He had never even _touched_ a bow before let alone striking an arrow that could hit a target. How the fuck was he going to even compete with him?

Brian gave him the bow and an arrow, Justin took it knowing that he had no other way than to embarrass himself in front of Brian and all the other guards who were watching them.

Justin bent down reflexively when Brian laid the bow in his hands. Justin gulped, it was bloody heavy.

But with his proud face still on, Justin clumsily pulled the arrow and aligned it with the bow. He could feel Brian's intense gaze burning the side of his face.

He braced himself for the humiliation he would undergo as he pulled on the string. He closed his eyes and let go.

Instead of releasing the arrow, Justin had let go off the bow and it fell on the lawn with a thud while the arrow hadn't moved an inch. Justin's arms were still stretched out in the air holding onto his imaginary bow and arrow.

Brian laughed out loud. His laugh was beautiful yet mocking.

"I may be a little out of practice" Justin told him contracting his arms back.

"A little?" Brian teased.

"Come here" Brian said pulling a storming yet adorable Justin closer to him.

"It's not really your fault that you were raised by a bunch of ladies" Brian told him, holding him tightly around the waist.

Justin glared back at him.

"Here I'll tell you how to use this" Brian said and got the bow and aligned the arrow for Justin.

Standing behind Justin, Brian held Justin's hands and guided him. Justin could feel Brian's hard cock pressing against his ass.

"Careful ...the thumb" Brian cautioned him and kissed Justin's cheek again.

He slowly guided Justin's arms until Justin had the stretched the full string of the bow.

"Let go Justin" Brian whispered release into Justin's ear, indicating which part of the hand he needed to release with the touch of his hand.

Justin let go, this time holding the bow but only releasing the arrow. The arrow didn't hit the target but it at least moved this time.

"Not bad. Can I try again?" Justin asked trying to control his new found excitement. He loved the feeling of the arrow swiping past, it made him feel powerful and for the first time he felt like he was the one in control.

He kissed Justin's lips chastely before he nodded.

* * *

><p>"I don't fucking believe you!" Brian roared in an almost empty conference room. Brian had lost his temper when Michael started babbling some bullshit about Justin acting suspicious and that he was secretly linked with another man.<p>

Mel rolled her eyes and continued reading a manuscript. Why was Brian making such a big deal, why doesn't he just send a death warrant to the little fucker? She could see the old Brian slipping away right before her eyes.

"I saw him panicking and hiding something in his hand with my very own eyes" Michael said stressing out his each word.

"Michael you're days as the minister will soon end if I find that you're wrong"

"Will you cut out your melodramatic shit Brian?" Mel interrupted. She then continued with an incredulous jibe in her tone.

"Brian I can't _believe_ that you're willing to trust a spoilt kid who had been with you for what a month? Than your minister who had been with you almost all your life? What's wrong with you Brian? Is your head that high up in his ass that you had forgotten how to think?" Mel asked standing up.

Mel's logic seemed to have an effect on Brian as his anger against Michael cooled down substantially.

Brian looked down fuming, as much as he hated to admit. He knew that Melanie was right.

"Brian, what makes you think this kid is any different?" Mel asked referencing him to Brian's past husbands who were all conniving dicks who were after Brian's throne and wealth.

"He's different Mel" Brian asserted.

"The last time I checked I heard that he hates you, so now you can read minds Brian? Huh? Can you Brian?" Mel prodded further, clawing at Brian's wounds.

"That would be a no. So I suggest that you keep a closer eye on him. If Michael is wrong, _forgive _him, he's only watching for your back. And if he's right who knows maybe you can kill him while you're ahead."


	6. Deception

Brian was still fuming, Mel's words echoed in his head as he rushed into his bedroom chambers.

He felt so...angry, frustrated and betrayed.

He wanted to ask Justin about this right away. He needed to know that he was right. He needed to know that Justin was innocent.

But when he walked in. he found Justin with a bottle of _something_...in his hand.

"What are you drinking?" Brian asked.

Justin hiccupped adorably before he shrugged his shoulders. He then gulped down another mouthful straight from the bottle.

"Who the fuck gave it to you?"

"Cyn..thia" Justin slurred.

"Predictable" Brian muttered. Cynthia must have given him that weird shit she always made and drank before she usually passed out on the bathroom floor, not remembering a thing of what she'd done the previous night. But then again she'd drink again.

Brian made himself calm down knowing that Justin was in no condition where he could even walk properly, let alone putting him through an interrogation and expecting him to give out a logical answer.

Justin then walked over to the bed, swallowed some more of the drink before he placed the bottle on the bedside table.

Brian sighed and was about to walk out when he heard Justin speak.

"Where are you going?" Justin asked.

"Somewhere..." Brian mumbled without turning back.

Justin hiccupped again.

"Sleep with me tonight" Justin said, but it sounded more like a demand than a request.

Brian slowly turned around, surprised that Justin had uttered those words but then again he was under the influence of what not chemicals and crap.

Justin slipped inside the covers and waited for Brian to come over to him.

Brian took off his boots and pulled the covers open to slide inside when he was stopped by the blond again.

"Brian...stop"

"Take your clothes off" He ordered.

Brian raised an eyebrow.

Justin cocked his head innocently wondering why Brian was hesitating.

Brian finally resigned to Justin's wishes and pulled everything off but his pants. He was this close to losing control and he didn't want to make it worse. He then slid next to the blond and turned sideways to look at him.

Justin smiled contently as he propped his head up using his elbow.

Brian's heart melted as he saw the smile widen on Justin's face. It was like the sun, he was like the sunshine.

He then knew that Michael, Mel they were all wrong. Justin would never turn out to be like the others.

"Brian can I ask you something?" Justin asked innocently.

"Hmm..what?" Brian asked as he played with Justin's hair, loving the feeling of silk between his fingers.

"Why is that, whenever you're around..." Justin started and moved closer towards Brian.

"You make me feel...so...hot" Justin whispered, staring deeply into Brian's eyes, placing his hand over Brian's chest.

Brian's cock hardened immediately as he watched those lips whisper those words.

Brian pushed Justin onto his back.

"Yeah...how hot do I make you feel?"

"Mm...Like I'm on fire..."

Justin then brought Brian's hand over onto his chest so that Brian could feel his wildly beating chest.

Brian kissed him with such a passionate force that further melted Justin's sense of reality.

Justin moaned in satisfaction as he threaded one of his hand in Brian's hair and the other moved up and down Brian's back.

Brian pulled apart as he watched Justin's eyelids dropping. He was fast falling asleep.

"Brian..." Justin whispered silently before his mind finally closed the bond with reality.

If Justin only knew that Brian's heart too was beating out of sync for him, because of him.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Day<strong>

Justin held his head in his hands as he strained to open his eyes. The headache throbbed achingly against his skull.

Fuck, Justin regretted trying out that weird shit from Cynthia. He was _never _going to try drinking that again, as long as he lives.

Justin got up and shook his head dismissively.

_He had another dream of Brian. _

And this time he had told Brian to take his clothes off. Hilarious, as if he could ever say that.

This really had to stop. It was starting to get pretty pathetic.

Justin then remembered about Brandon's invitation. He contemplated on whether to go or not. Should he trust this sinister man?

But then...

He didn't want to regret later on in his life about that mysterious stone he hadn't turned. What if this man was the only way out of here?

It might be risky but it seemed like it was worth the risk. He would listen and see what this man had to say and then he'd think about whether or not to comply with his ideas.

Justin walked through the familiar path through the woods, he wasn't too happy about having to go back through the whole graveyard scene. He had gotten enough creeps since the day Cynthia had showed him around the graves.

Once Justin was in the graveyard, he began looking around for that hollow tree.

Although the place was full of trees, it didn't take Justin too much time to identify which hollow tree Brandon had been talking about since there was only one that had a massive hollow in its trunk.

Justin neared the hollow tree and looked around for the man.

"Ah...I'm pleased that you decided to come after all" Brandon purred in Justin's ear who was right behind him.

"Brandon..." Justin shrieked.

"Don't you know that scaring people in a cemetery is considered to be improper" Justin reprimanded him but at the same time tried to compose himself from being scared half to death.

"I apologize prince, I've been here for so long that I quite forget that I'm with dead people"

"Right..." Justin said and for the first time he looked at Brandon's face properly.

He was beautiful, there was no doubt about that but what scared Justin was that he didn't know what lied underneath that mask.

"Follow me" Brandon said.

Justin followed Brian behind the hollow tree and saw that there was a small cottage. Very small indeed.

Brandon opened the door and let Justin inside.

Justin stood and glanced around at his surroundings.

The place was a dump. The bed wasn't made and the kitchen looked like it hadn't been used for days. The place smelt so bad like stench that came from decomposing garbage.

"Please sit" Brandon said and pulled him a chair from the dining table.

"That's okay, I don't mind" Justin said, not wanting to sit on a shabby chair.

"I insist" Brandon said, this time his voice charged with an underlying order.

Without thinking too much Justin then sat down immediately.

Brandon pulled out another chair and sat opposite to the blond. Brandon couldn't keep his eyes off him. He now knew why Brian had wanted this man so bad that he'd traded invading a kingdom for his hand in marriage. This boy was strikingly gorgeous.

"I hope you know exactly what you're offering to do because if this is some sort of game. I won't be too pleased..." Justin warned.

Brandon chuckled darkly.

"Or what are you going to do? Tell Brian perhaps? But he wouldn't be too pleased either would he? Knowing that his favourite little sex slave wanting to actually runaway from him. He'd be so upset..." Brandon mocked.

"I'm not his slave!" Justin snapped not at all liking the tone at which Brandon was talking him to.

"Whatever that makes you sleep at night Justin"

Justin gnashed his teeth in frustration. "So why don't we get to the point. How do you suppose that I get out of here?"

"You can't" Brandon said simply.

"What?" Justin exclaimed. Why did Brandon even ask him to come here in the first place, if he knew that there was going to be no way out.

"If you mean escaping this palace by mere means of hopping over the fence or thinking that you could secretly slip out the back door. Trust me, it won't happen. The magnitude of security around these walls is immense."

Justin's face fell. He was about to ask Brandon about the note when Brandon interrupted him.

"But there is one way" Brandon said, looking up through his blond hair that had fallen between his eyes.

Justin's head shot up in undeniable curiosity.

"There is?" He asked, his voice sounding a little hopeful.

"We could eliminate the source of all our problems itself, and then it wouldn't be too hard to get away from this place."

"You don't mean..."

"Yes that's what exactly I mean...Assassinating Brian is the only way we have."

"And from what I've been hearing around, it sounds to me that you have Brian warped all around your little finger."

"That's not true" Justin replied back quickly. He had no idea that's what people thought of him as.

Brandon narrowed his eyes in annoyance but continued.

"It doesn't matter if you think it's true or not. What matters is that with you on the inside, we can easily dispose this tyrannical monster that's ruling your life"

Justin felt strongly uncomfortable talking and planning about Brian's murder with some stranger that he barely knew.

"I'm not so sure about this Brandon. And why are you so keen on helping me?" Justin asked, feeling suspicious about Brandon's generosity to help him.

"Justin...I don't want to see you dead like the others. You've seen the graves, you don't want to be part of his collection do you?" Brandon said and stroked Justin's cheek with his rough thumb.

Justin flinched from Brandon's words and his touch. Since when did Brandon start calling him by his first name?

Justin looked away.

"You're too beautiful to die Justin" He said painfully.

"I'm flattered Brandon but I don't think I could ever kill another person and still live with absolutely no regrets...even if it means it would be costing my freedom" Justin finally said giving out his answer and got up.

Brandon became uncomfortable, he hadn't expected this. Hadn't he been persuasive enough? He wasn't going to lose Justin, he was the only man who could stand up to Brian and not get killed. His need for Justin was immense in order for him to avenge his brother's death, not to mention he needed Justin's help to reclaim the throne that his brother told him once that it was all his.

"I don't want your answer now Justin...Why don't you take some time and think about it...you might change your mind"

"Think about your worried-stricken family, your friends..." Brandon said pushing the emotional buttons on Justin.

Justin stared at Brandon, lost in thought. He did miss them terribly, especially his mother. She probably was feeling destitute and lonely without her only son.

"Give me your answer in a week. Think long and hard about it"

Justin stood silent and nodded. He didn't think his answer would change. He would never want to kill another person. He had been raised that way.

And honestly, he didn't want to kill man made him angry but at the sametime he still made him feel all those new feelings inside him that Justin secretly liked.

Justin exited the cottage and began his pathway back up to the palace.

What he didn't know was that two pairs of eyes were already watching his every move.

"Sire, what do you think he was doing in Brandon's cottage?" Michael asked innocently.

Yes, Michael had been right and he needed to gloat. Justin _was _a cheat like the rest of them and he had guessed right.

"Be quiet Michael. Next time, don't open your mouth unless I tell you to!" Brian snapped back, annoyed at Michael's behaviour.

Michael nodded and followed Brian to the cottage.

Brian knocked on the door and Brandon opened, surprise evident in his face.

"Bri...I mean Sire, what brings you here to my humble abode?" Brandon asked superficially. He hated calling other noble men with sire or king like he was some petty commoner. He had royal blood in him too.

"Brandon...you don't mind me dropping in do you? It has been so long since we had a nice long chat" Brian said as he walked in.

"I'm glad the king still remembers me"

"I'm sure you are" Brian replied sarcasatically.

Once he was well inside the cottage Brian pulled out his sword. The shiny metal reflecting Brian's unnerving and Brandon's shaking eyes.

Inside Brandon was panicking. He could sense his death was near.

"Would the king would want some tea?" He asked nonchalantly.

Brian laughed forebodingly.

"Enough of our foreplay...let's get to the point shall we Brandon?" Brian asked, his eyes gleaming.

"I see you've met my husband, Justin...Have you invited him over here?" He asked while he pretended to admire his sword.

"I don't know what you mean Sire"

In a quick motion, Brian grasped Brandon's neck and pushed him against the wall. He tightened his grip and Brandon choked, his eyes slightly bulging out.

"I'll ask you the same question and this time, I want you to answer _truthfully_. Can you do that for me Brandon?"

Brandon nodded desperately, at that moment he would've agreed to anything.

Brian released his grip and Brandon coughed and tried to regain his breathing.

In this situation, Brandon would be a fool if he'd tell the truth. He had to lie. And he had the perfect idea. He only desperately hoped that Brian would buy his story.

"I warn you, you may not like about what I'm going to say"

"Just fucking get on with it"

"If you really want to know, Justin was the one who sashayed over here."

Brian scoffed.

"You're telling me that Justin knew exactly where to go and whom to see when he hadn't even stayed a month at this place let alone knowing exactly where you're little cottage is."

"You would be right if this was Justin's first time but it isn't...why don't you ask your sister? She was the one who brought him here in the first place, showed him around, that's when _your husband_ first saw me"

Brian gripped the sword tightly in his hand. He narrowed his eyes, he didn't like what he was hearing. Cynthia was showing Justin around the cemetery? Why?

"I'm surprised that your sister hasn't told you..." Brandon added, enjoying the turmoil that he was causing Brian to feel.

"Watch how you talk with me Brandon. Let me remind you that it isn't much hard work sending you to the place where your pathetic brother is right now..."

Brandon tightened his fist and a nerve popped out in his forehead. How dare he talk about his brother?

"So what have you been conversing with him for the last fifteen minutes?"

Brandon took a deep breath and put on his most serious and sincere face possible.

"He told me how he despises you and...

"And?" Brian asked, his heart shredding to pieces, although part of him didn't believe it.

" He...he wanted my help to kill you..."Brandon finally said, acting like it had been such a hard thing to do.

"That was a good story..." Brian said calmly and before Brandon knew what was happening, Brian had slashed a deep laceration across his chest in fit of rage.

Blood immediately surfaced to the split skin and started cascading over Brandon's chest.

Brandon staggered back as he growled in pain. He clutched his chest and looked at his blood-ridden hands.

"I thought telling you the truth would have been my redemption but I guess Justin really has got you blinded. You tend to forget that nobody will ever fall in love with a man like you Brian" Brandon spat at him.

"One more word out of you..." Brian growled and was about to stab Brandon's heart and kill him once in for all.

"Sire...don't!" Michael interrupted.

"Michael stay out of this..."

"What if he's telling the truth?" Michael asked.

"Did you even listen to what he said?" Brian replied incredulously.

"Why are you so inclined towards Justin being the innocent one?" Michael asked, slightly annoyed at his Sire's behaviour. He never saw Brian act so irrationally before.

Brian grew silent. He had no answer to Michael's question. Was he in fact deluding himself?

Brian walked out the cottage still holding the sword that was dripping with blood. He couldn't handle Michael's piercing eyes nor Brandon's smug expression.

Brian's heart bled as Brandon's words kept on ringing in his head.

_You tend to forget that nobody will ever fall in love with a man like you Brian._


	7. Kiss with a Fist

_**IMPORTANT A/N: This story is on hold and will NOT be updated until the month of July. I really do apologize for readers out there! Sorry!** _

Brian opened and closed his palms, blood that flowed through his veins sweltered with unspoken heat, his mind quivering with anger as each word Brandon had spewed earlier on echoed in his mind.

He stormed into the palace and grabbed the nearest thing that could be easily reached with his hand. Unfortunately, a vase which was sitting innocently in the corner became the victim for untold sacrifice as it flew to the nearby wall, hitting it and shattering into millions of pieces of glass.

It had become a suitable and a convenient vessel for displacing Brian's anger, but unlike anger, hurt couldn't be displaced into a substitute target.

Michael, who had followed behind him, stood plenty of feet away from Brian not daring to go near the fuming king.

"Where's Justin?" Brian barked to the nearest maid that was caught with her mouth open and her hands trembling.

"He's...He's at the baths" She stammered.

* * *

><p>Brian walked into the baths, nearly shredding away the curtains in the process of getting in. Once he was inside, he looked around. He was in a blind fury and didn't even stop to realise what Justin might be doing in the baths.<p>

The baths was a huge area, a small pool, a porcelain bath tub and an open brass showerhead were all spread over in one large area.

Brian's darting eyes came to a standstill as he spotted Justin in the far corner of the room, near the bath tub...undressing.

He stood with his back facing Brian. The clothes from Justin's body dropped off on the floor systematically starting from his shirt. Justin's shoulders and then his slender back were slowly exposed first.

Justin hadn't felt a presence yet. He was blissfully unaware of a predator that was nearby, watching him with lucrative eyes.

Brian's body burned with a different kind of fire now, one that burned his loins and tortured his cock. His hands ached to touch and feel, his tongue wanted to lick and taste each and every part of the alabaster skin he could see.

The need to own and mark this boy had only increased after Brandon's rebuttal of Justin's loyalty which he silently knew were pure lies but a small part still gnawed at him. He was left standing at the doorway completely mesmerized by what he was watching.

Brian's dick became irrefutably hard as Justin became completely naked. His luscious ass coming into full view to Brian's lust-blazed eyes. His cock wept at such sight, at such perfectness.

* * *

><p>Justin sighed in satisfaction as he slipped into a bath that was filled with thickened milk, added with a dash of honey that was layered with ruby red rose petals which floated on top.<p>

He lay back, supporting his head against the edge of the porcelain bath and closed his eyes. The sweet aroma of the honey filled his senses while the milk worked on nourishing Justin's stressed skin. Justin had really missed these calming and soothing baths, which he once used to have it every single day. And he needed it especially after his conversation with Brandon.

Justin's eyes snapped open when he suddenly felt a presence of another person in the room, muffled footsteps and the sound of clothes flapping against the body.

_Brian..._

Their eyes locked with each other. Storming, lustful green eyes and surprised, shocked blues ones.

Justin's pulse quickened faster than the speed of light, the nakedness of his body becoming incredibly blatant to his conscious mind.

"Wha...What are you doing here?" Justin stammered as he attempted to sink lower so that only his head was now visible.

Brian didn't say anything but began to unbutton his long sleeved shirt as he lewdly stared at Justin, not able to take his eyes away from him. Brian had enough of his games, he wanted to fuck, he wanted to make this boy his and he wouldn't rest until then.

"What's that shit?" Brian asked as pushed down his pants.

Justin remained silent, his voice lost as he watched, transfixed at Brian's beguiling body. Justin swallowed hard as his eyes were met with Brian's erect dick and his unconsciously darted out to lick his lips.

He then looked up at Brian and scowled.

"You can't just barge in here Brian!"

"I already did" Brian said simply and before Justin even realised, Brian was in the bath with him, right opposite to him.

Justin became uncomfortable with Brian's long legs rubbing along side of his own while Brian just stared at him, watching Justin squirming around the bath who was desperately trying to get some personal space that Brian had invaded.

"I'm out of here" Justin said quietly as he decided to get out of there, quickly and swiftly.

Brian wasn't going to let go that easily.

With one of his legs on the bathmat and one still deep inside the milky waters, he was suddenly pulled back and landed right on top of Brian's chest as his body became unbalanced. Brian was not going to let him go not before teaching him a lesson first.

Brian's face was inches away from Justin's, his eyes boring into Justin's. Their bodies touching chest to chest. Suddenly the temperature of the water felt like boiling as Brian's hands slowly snaked around Justin's back, trapping him effectively, not even giving him the slightest chance to even wriggle out.

Justin closed his eyes as Brian bent forward to slowly lick the drops of milk that was splattered on Justin's crimson red cheek while his hands went to play out with his ass. He squeezed and rubbed that ass, not able to get enough of it, not able to get enough of Justin.

"Brian...you can't do this" Justin half-said and half-moaned when Brian licked his neck.

"I will do whatever I please" Brian growled. He then flipped Justin onto his back, so that he was on the top. It was in such a quick motion, that half the water splashed out.

Those blue eyes projected innocence, shock and lust and without any further warning Brian was attacking his lips, pushing his body closer to his own.

Justin's lips were on fire, his mind going completely blank. He was torn between two very obvious emotions, lust and anger. Lust, yes he wanted Brian to touch him, kiss him and it felt so good but then anger reeled in, wasn't he the man who ruined his life?

Justin threaded his fingers into Brian's soft hair and tugged on them hard, so hard that Brian was forced to break the kiss. Brian's eyes heavy with unhidden lust looked back at him and Justin thought he was going to cum right there. Instead of pushing him away, he grabbed Brian's bottom lip furiously in between his teeth and bit it hard until blood cracked from the skin. This seemed to please both his rational and irrational side.

Brian groaned from both pain and pleasure. His tongue probing out to taste the blood on his lips. He twisted his hands into the blonde's hair as he tilted Justin's head, so that his head seemed to be out of the bathtub.

"Fuck, you're not as innocent as you look" Brian said and bit Justin's flesh between where his neck and shoulder connected and Justin bucked out.

Keeping one hand to hold Justin, he scampered his hand around to find the drain plug and pulled it open. The milk gurgled down the sink and in seconds the tub was empty. Now only their slick bodies remained in the lonely tub, their hard cocks finally able to get some friction.

"I've had enough of our little games Justin. I want to fuck you...now" Brian growled into Justin's ear. Justin's heart raced and his cock becoming harder in anticipation, but something else came out of his mouth.

"Don't you dare..." Justin protested feebly and squirmed against Brian.

"Why not? You want me as much I want you. Don't you?" Brian said as he rubbed his long hard cock over Justin's hard member. Skin rubbing slowly skin against each other causing delicious pleasure to both of them.

"Mm..." Justin moaned incoherently. He was so overwhelmed with feeling, touching, smelling Brian all around him. It was all most too much to take and he slowly felt himself losing control.

Brian pushed Justin's upper body up out of the tub so that he could start sucking on his nipple, loving the sweet milk-flavoured taste in his mouth.

Justin's body was torn between wanting it and rejecting it. His wet dreams were fast becoming reality.

"Mmm...no" Justin moaned restlessly, his head hung back down on the edge of the tub, eyes closed as Brian moved onto the other nipple. His hand now moved onto Brian's hair as he pulled on it, while his other hand clenched and unclenched Brian's biceps as hard as he could, wanting to cause Brian pain but instead drawing pleasure from it.

Justin gasped when he felt Brian running his finger seductively along his crack. His eyes widened in surprise as Brian breached his already wet hole with his finger.

"What... are you doing?" Justin managed to say between his ragged breaths. He was partly scared but partly aroused, no one had touched him that way.

Brian silenced him by kissing him as pushed half his finger in and Justin was already thrusting his hips in response, he could feel Justin's tight hole needily sucking it in, wanting more, squeezing his finger tight. Once Brian inserted the full length of his finger, he continued to add one more, scissoring his hole open and this time managing rubbing Justin's prostate.

Brian loved watching Justin crying out in half pleasure and in half delirium. Justin's hips tried to move in and against those fingers that had created this delicious friction. His body arching back in response, his head hanging down from the edge of the tub. His chest heaving up and down from the exhilaration of his senses.

Justin was a little disappointed when Brian removed his fingers but then he felt something else filling him up, something thick, wet and hard pressing into him.

"Brian...god!" Justin moaned.

Justin's wet stretched hole eagerly took in Brian's cock until Brian had filled him to the brim. Justin wasn't too sure if he liked this.

"It hurts Brian..." Justin whimpered, his eyes holding tears.

"Relax Justin..." He said trying to calm Justin. He kissed those quivering lips. He stroked Justin's abdomen to try to soothe him. . His initial need to own and fuck him was suddenly replaced by wanting to be gentle as possible; he didn't want to see Justin in pain. Something which was unusually strange, since his past husbands were all equivalent to holes he put his dick in order to get off.

The pain slowly started to subside with something more...He couldn't even distinguish what he was feeling. Was it pain or pleasure? It was a mixture of both that caused pleasurable dissonance in his mind.

On the other hand, Brian was in heaven, his cock enveloped in such wet, hot, tight place. He moved a little giving time for Justin to adjust to his not cock which wasn't exactly virginal friendly.

Not able to control any longer, he slowly pulled out and pushed his cock in one quick move, rubbing Justin's soft prostate in the end.

Justin nearly bucked out the bath tub and cried out Brian's name in surreal pleasure.

Brian bent forward and whispered hotly in his ear. "Remember Justin, you'll always be mine"

Brian wanted to make it clear to Justin that he shouldn't have any other ideas about anyone and only he'd be the one to touch Justin this way.

Justin's body shook at the intensity of Brian's want to possess him. For a second, he almost readily wanted to accept that but no, never.

"Maybe my body but never my heart Brian" Justin replied, fire burning in his eyes.

There was a quick spark of anger in Brian's eyes as he bent down to kiss him, instead ravaging his lips instead and demanded entrance into Justin's mouth. Their tongues duelling control for a while.

Right now, Justin didn't know about his heart but he knew that his body was on fire with Brian. He wouldn't dare admit out aloud but Brian's cock felt amazing inside him. He closed his eyes and moaned quietly when Brian started thrusting into him again.

"Louder Justin" Brian demanded, Justin's moans were erotically so addictive. They made his dick so hard.

Brian felt Justin's legs wrapping themselves around his waist with a python-like grip and he moaned quietly when he felt Justin's hole squeezing his cock inside.

Justin wrapped his arms around Brian's back to try to get some leverage in the slipperiness of the tub and pushed his hips against Brian's cock in a subtle way of telling him to fuck him harder.

Brian understood Justin's need and since their bodies were already so wet, he gripped the edges of the tub, on each side of Justin's body and fucked him harder. Justin held onto him tightly by digging his nails into his back, hiding his head in Brian's chest as he too couldn't stop moving his hips in response. Both grunting and moaning as they moved wantonly against each other.

"Ohhh...Fuck!" Justin yelled as he climaxed without Brian even touching his cock. For couple of seconds Justin even forgot where he was at, the orgasm nearly blew his mind.

Brian growled and bit Justin's shoulder hard as he climaxed too.

They stayed there for a couple of minutes before Brian slowly pulled out the warm hole and moved back giving enough space for Justin to move.

Justin stood up, his knees nearly giving him away, his body feeling fragile and weak from being emotionally and physically drained.

Brian watched him walk to the shower area. He swallowed hard as he saw his cum dripping from Justin's ass.

Justin rotated the metal tap and water sprayed from above. He leaned his forehead against the wall and stared at the tile before of him, the water cascading silently down his hair and on to his back.

The stinging feeling from Brian's bites, the pain from his bruised lips, his skin burning from Brian's caresses...Justin closed his eyes, his hole unconsciously clenching around empty space...and god...he could still feel Brian's raw dick pushing in and out of him.

"Don't come near me..." Justin warned, when he could feel Brian behind him but his voice sounded weak and lacked conviction. Justin had never felt this vulnerable before. He didn't like this aching feeling that was aroused in him whenever Brian was near. He was supposed to hate him dammit, not want him.

Justin suddenly gasped, taking a sharp intake of breath into his lungs when Brian pulled him roughly against his chest, his arms wrapping around his waist.

Brian's hunger for Justin had only increased after their first fuck. Brian wanted to fuck him all over again. He wanted to lose himself in the feeling of Justin's tight ass clenching around his dick in desperate need, he wanted to hear Justin's moans, he wanted to see him lose his mind and turn him into senseless writhing mess.

"Stop...you're not doing this again" Justin said quietly but in a firm tone when he felt Brian's hard dick rubbing against his crack.

Brian turned Justin around so that he was facing him. He walked forward as Justin walked backwards and stopped when Justin's back hit the wall.

Brian pressed his body close against the smaller blond, towering over him.

Justin turned his head sideways trying to look anywhere else than Brian himself.

"Justin, look at me" Brian demanded.

Justin slowly looked back,his mouth slightly parting in pure awe as he gazed into those green orbs. Droplets of water cascaded down Brian's face, he was so beautiful that his chest hallowed in pain.

"Fine, I will stop..." Brian said calmly. He then bent down to whisper in Justin's ear.

"But first tell me Justin, tell me that you didn't love it when my dick was inside you, fucking you..."

Justin shivered and his cock twitched in response to Brian's words.

Brian felt Justin's cock rising up against his thigh, he then pulled back to stare at Justin's face.

"Tell me was I dreaming Justin? When you tried to fuck yourself on my cock... desperately... I said to look at me Justin" He ordered again.

Justin's looked up into his eyes once again. His cheeks flushed a deep red as he remained silent. How could even attempt to lie when the truth was blatantly obvious.

"I thought so..."

* * *

><p><em>Later in their bedroom<em>

Justin's ragged breathing and Brian's grunts filled their bedroom. Justin was on his knees, his palms scrunching the silky bed sheets. Brian was on his knees, covering his body over Justin's, fucking him. After their first erotic rendezvous in the bathroom tub, they had moved onto their both were inundated with pleasure. Completely intoxicated with each other, the scent of sex redolent in the air.

Justin moved his body with Brian, his body rocking in accordance with Brian's cock sliding in and out. He moved wantonly, needing the release, desperately wanting to cum. Brian's hair caressed his back each time his cock pushed in and out. Brian kissed along his back spine, holding those quivering hands in his own.

"Mm...Yes.." Justin moaned as Brian's hard cock rubbed against his sweet spot.

"Justin..." Brian moaned when the tightness of his ass was bringing him closer to another intense orgasm.

Brian stroked Justin's leaking cock, loving the feeling of his dick in his hand. He rubbed his nipples with his other hand and pinched them hard and Justin groaned in response. Yes, he loved hearing Justin groan like that.

Soon enough they both climaxed, panting hard. Brian pulled out and turned Justin around, he wanted to stay inside a little while longer so he pushed his member inside Justin before it became completely flaccid.

Brian found Justin's lips and soon they both were kissing which seemed to never end as Brian repeatedly caressed Justin's ass.

Justin's hands roamed Brian's back. He closed his eyes and moaned in content when he felt Brian's cock becoming hard within his ass and it turned him on so much.

His eyes snapped open when he felt Brian's hips moving again.

Brian couldn't believe that he had become so hard already, in a matter of minutes. Fuck, what Justin did to him. Would he ever be satiated with Justin?

"Brian, I don't...I can't..." Justin breathed out incoherently as Brian's hard cock pulled out and pushed in all at once. Justin felt so weak and fragile from all the fucking before and now Brian was fucking him all over again but he couldn't deny that it made him feel so good. He wrapped his legs around him and shamelessly encouraged him.

* * *

><p>With their stomach roaring in hunger they finally dragged themselves off to the dining room. It was past dinner time, so Brian and Justin were the only ones in the dining room.<p>

Ten minutes had passed and only the clinks and clunks of the cutlery beating against the ceramic plates could be heard in the dining room.

Justin played around with his food, not able stomach their cooking, his food portion had reduced dramatically since he had arrived here.

Justin looked up to find the same painting facing him again, which hung against the wall. The frame pictured an old man sitting on a grand chair and on his lap was a woman holding a glass of wine in her hand. Both of them serious, their expressions were almost inanimate as the painting itself. He had ignored it on his first visit here to the dining room but now that he had been seeing it every single day, he wondered who they were.

Brian saw Justin staring at the painting.

"She'd be the one who gave birth to me and he's the one who impregnated her" Brian stated coldly.

Justin looked at Brian, confused at first but slowly realising that he had been talking about the people in the painting.

"You mean your mother and father?"

"I wouldn't go that far" Brian said while he continued to eat as if what he'd said was quite common.

Justin found that statement strange but didn't say anything.

More silence prolonged.

"I saw your paintings back in your palace." Brian said, interrupting the silence.

"You have?" Justin replied with the only coherent words that were possible to him. Justin was surprised that Brian had noticed them.

"Quite impressive"

Justin could feel his cheeks reddening with Brian's compliment but he pleaded his body to stop reacting.

"If you want to..." Brian started attempting to suggest that maybe Justin would like to paint assuming that the blond was missing his favourite activity.

"Pardon me Brian, but I'll be retiring to the chambers now" Justin said cutting off Brian. Justin didn't want to hear it. He was quietly petrified that whatever Brian was going to say would only make him like him. He was already swimming in guilt for what he'd done today, scared out of his wits to admit that he was starting to have these feelings but no, he couldn't like Brian.

Brian rolled his lips in his mouth, a little hurt but he brushed it off. He nodded and Justin left the room leaving Brian alone to finish his food.

* * *

><p>Justin curled up on the bed. His body was so exhausted not to mention his sore ass but he just couldn't sleep, deep inside him, his conscience was eating him away but as soon as he heard footsteps inside the room, he immediately closed his eyes shut.<p>

The bed dipped and soon enough he felt Brian curling up against him, spooning behind him, his head placed in the crook of Justin's neck and his hands wound over his waist possessively.

Brian was exhausted too.

For a while, the room was quiet, Brian's warm body, the inhaling and exhaling of Brian's breathing strangely calmed Justin.

"Justin..." Brian quietly called, his eyes still closed.

"I don't want to see you with Brandon again" He warned quietly, tightening his grip around Justin unconsciously. Brian wasn't sure what exactly they talked about but he wanted Justin away from him. If Michael hadn't stopped, he would've killed Brandon. He would take care of Brandon later. He was virtually threat-less. He would pull out that weed later.

Justin's eyes widened, how did Brian know about him meeting Brandon? Justin rightfully guessed that Brian didn't know what they talked about and if so why was Brian worried about him meeting this man?

* * *

><p><em>Ben and Michael's Chambers<em>

Ben grabbed Michael around his waist and kissed him passionately at the foot of their bedroom door and steadily moved towards their bed.

They fell on their bed with Ben on top of Michael, still kissing Ben slowly slid his hand into Michael's pants.

Ben could feel that Michael wasn't into their kissing. His kisses lacked passion and seemed too sloppy. He broke the kiss and stared at Michael's face which usually could be read quite easily.

"What's wrong Michael?" Ben asked. The lines on his forehead, the sadness in his eyes couldn't be concealed to Ben's astute eyes.

"It's nothing..." Michael replied lamely, when clearly both of them knew that there was indeed something that was bothering him.

"You can tell me anything Michael" Ben insisted, the ever considerate man.

"It's about Justin...it's...I don't know"

Ben moved from being on top of Michael and pulled over next to him and propped his head on his elbow.

"What about him?" He asked curiously.

"He makes me feel uncomfortable Ben."

Ben raised his eye brow and Michael continued.

"You wouldn't believe the nerve of that brat but today we saw him talking to Brandon...in _his_ cottage Ben" Michael said with a tone that implied shock.

Ben closed his eyes and then opened them when he finally remembered who Brandon was.

"Brandon? Right, I've completely forgotten that he even existed. So did you find out what he'd been talking about? We shouldn't come to a conclusion that Justin is the culprit just because he talked to him Michael, which would be completely asinine, not to mention unfair to Justin"

Michael rolled his eyes and faced Ben. Sometimes, Ben could get so annoying with his morally superior attitude.

"Ben, when we confronted Brandon he swore that Justin had told him that he had intentions of _killing_ the king and you'd seen the way Justin behaves with Brian. You'd have to blind, if you didn't see the correlation."

Ben nodded but wasn't fully convinced. He remembered how deceiving his brother had been, he wouldn't surprised if they had the same genes.

"So what did the king do?" Ben asked.

"Nothing! He did absolutely nothing!" Michael flabbergasted as he sat up on the bed, indignation burning in his eyes.

Ben was a little surprised at Brian's judgment but Michael's attitude seemed a little over the top.

"Why are you so upset Michael? I'm sure the king had a reason to trust him and we can't be too sure that Brandon was telling the truth." Ben tried to rationalize and defend the king's decision. He knew that his king was rarely wrong in perceiving other people's characters.

"I don't know Ben, I'm worried. Brian isn't his usual self around this kid, let alone thinking objectively."

"Ben could you do me a favour?" Michael asked with his puppy eyes in place.

Ben sighed, he wondered when Michael would realise that Brian was a human too like the rest of them.

"What do you have in mind Michael?"

"You know that we'll be leaving to the East Kingdom tomorrow for the next week. Would you be able to ask one of your best guards to keep a close eye on Justin?"

"I don't know Michael...if Brian finds out, he wouldn't be too happy that we're spying on his lover"

"Lover? Hardly. Please Ben do this for me?"

Ben contemplated for a few seconds, unable to deny his lover's request. He bent down and kissed Michael.

"Okay Michael..."

* * *

><p><em>Chapter End Notes:<em>

_Chapter title borrowed from a song title made by Florence+The Machine._

_And ps: Brandon will soon be back with his villainy goodness...  
><em>


	8. Restless Love

_A/N_

Story continues from the morning after Justin and Brian have their sex-fest. This chapter could not be broken down to two chapters since all these events happen in the same day and dramatically affect one event to another.

Also a very very small reference to Necrophilia (i.e sex with corpses)

* * *

><p>It was the early hours of dawn. The sun was only a small mass of dull orange, peeking from the eastern horizon, the stars beginning to shy away.<p>

Although inside the palace, especially inside the king's chambers, the room was still shadowed by night especially with the thick, dark maroon curtains blocking away any form of light.

Lying naked on the bed, a tradition he wasn't used to. Justin was wide awake, staring at the sculpted ceilings, not that he could discern much.

The stillness of the surroundings was a sheer contrast to what was going on in his head.

It was chaos.

First thing he'd done was to unwind himself from Brian's snake-like grip and before he knew it he was swaying at the edge of the bed.

Justin's feelings were a complete rack of mess. He felt disorientated, like a man who was being pulled apart limb by limb by four horses running in four different directions, except in this case it was Justin's mind.

No longer were his emotions even remotely comprehensible, they were at a constant tug of war. Scrambled pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Even right now, part of him wanted to desperately touch Brian, feel his hard body against his. But part of him was ashamed. Feeling like he had betrayed everything he had stood for. Drowning in his own sea of guilt further dragged down into the abyss by the ever-biting criticism from his own idealistic persona.

Thinking about betrayal, Justin's mind crossed another path. He wondered again for the umpteenth time, why had Brian warned him against Brandon? What did he know? How much did he know? How did he know?

These were questions he was sure he'd never get the answers for. And he wondered for how long Brandon stayed here in the palace grounds and why did he wanted to stay here when he apparently loathed the king. Who was he really?

He was curious, very curious to find these answers to. But didn't they say that the curiosity killed the prince. Although for now, he had nothing to worry about. He had done nothing wrong. He declined to Brandon's plan even though he knew that agreeing to his plan would've made him rich with freedom. Maybe he should reconsider?

Lying on the far most edge of the bed, he slowly turned to look at the man who was the reason behind his temporary insomnia although not so temporary paranoia.

Amidst the sinewy darkness Justin's eyes could still discern the sleeping form, who lying on his back with his perfect sleeping posture, hands placed neatly on his chest.

Snoring ever so lightly.

_Bastard_

He envied that Brian had the privilege to sleep peacefully .

The longer he watched Brian, the more his hand itched to sketch. Like a craving that was slowly burning inside him and he needed to quickly cool the blazing ambers.

Justin moved a little closer and _not_ because he wanted to be closer to Brian but he feared if he didn't move an inch or two, his ass would soon be on the ground.

The first slide across the bed led to the second and the unbeknownst to his conscious mind, Justin found himself gravitating towards Brian until he realised he had moved so close that the only sound that perforated his senses were the sounds of air moving in and out of their lungs and his own rapidly beating heart.

God, he needed to touch him, just once. Only once, he promised himself and then he'd roll off to the edge.

Justin supported himself on his elbow. Peering over Brian's sleeping form, his hand trembling ever so slightly as it lingered above Brian's cheek. His fingers made the first soft caress. It was a little rough from the growing stubbles, his skin warm. Stroking it gently, he let out a small sigh of pure contentment.

He didn't stop there. He watched in awe as Brian's lips parted when his finger brushed against the bottom lip, that was so soft and full, in return a puff of soft air flushed around his finger, all warm and nice.

He remembered how those lips treated him yesterday. They were demanding, breaking him down, pushing him against his limits until he finally surrendered, until his rational side dissolved into oblivion and the only thing he could feel was raw primal ecstasy. What he felt yesterday was...fuck.

He closed his eyes for a second, his cock, too reliving the memories with him and even re-enacting the scene from yesterday.

_Justin, stop. _

Justin sighed again, but this time with exhaustion, exhaustion from trying so hard to stop and control this...this change. The change that he knew if he dared to embrace, it would change everything.

He dropped his head and dipped his face lower into the crook of Brian's neck and inhaled Brian's scent deeply and reflexively made a "Mmm..." noise, his mind going a little hazy. He loved it _so much._

"Justin..."

Brian whispered, his voice low and husky due to his sleep-induced state and it went straight to Justin's cock.

With his heart racing, Justin removed himself from Brian's neck and looked at Brian's face. Was Brian dreaming about him?

Instead, Brian's eyes flickered open, revealing his dark, lust-filled eyes.

Justin was sure that his heart had burst.

Brian had a small smirk playing on his face.

_Stupid, stupid Justin _

Justin quickly averted his eyes to a more interesting looking pillow.

"What were you doing?" Brian asked, his voice sleepy yet it tinkled with amusement.

Justin shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly "Don't know, I was half-asleep..."

Justin replied, leaving it as a half-question, half-statement.

In the next second, Justin was lying on his back with Brian's body partially covering his body. Justin swallowed hard when he felt Brian's erection pressing against his thigh.

Eyes playing, tongue-placed in cheek, he drawled "I believe you were...intoxicated?"

"Don't flatter yourself"

Brian could fall in love with those obstinate blue eyes.

He grinned widely at Justin. For a minute, the veil was off, for a minute the real Kinney came out.

But before Justin could revoke and reprimand Brian's obnoxious yet completely adorable grin. Brian was attacking his neck, kissing the delicious skin, sucking hard on it. Justin arched into Brian, his mouth wide open in a half-gasp, half-moan.

Hands wrapping themselves around Brian's back, slowly traversing the muscular contours across his back, growing impossibly harder as Brian's muscles strained and relaxed.

He moaned deep from his throat, stretching against Brian when he felt Brian's hands running along his chest, fingers sliding slowly over his slightly moist skin. His lower abdomen muscles rippled in desperate anticipation when Brian's hand rested right below his navel while Brian's mouth sucked on Justin's titillated nipple.

Justin finally cried out Brian's name when he took his cock in his hand, Brian moaned into the crook of Justin's shoulder when he felt his hand becoming instantly wet.

Justin was so high on this cloud of pleasure, floating higher and higher. He was so far away, too lost in Brian to even think about turning back.

"You want me to fuck you?" Brian asked while he nibbled on the delicate and sensitive ear.

Brian's words seemed hazy in his bliss-induced state and all Justin could do was imagine how good it would be if Brian's throbbing cock would be inside him.

Brian twisted Justin's nipple hard. "Tell me"

Justin groaned and arched into Brian's hand, inhibitions lost to dust.

He nodded incoherently.

Justin's eyes lidded heavily with lust struggled to open when Brian suddenly clenched his silky blond hair in his fist, forcing him to see his way.

"Say it" He gritted through his teeth, his voice demanding, his grip tightening ever so lightly.

"Brian..." Justin started, his voice drenched with desire.

"Fuck me"

Brian growled, his cock reacting as he tried to control himself from cumming right then and there. He tilted Justin's head against the pillow and released a part of his immediate sexual frustration by biting hard on the flesh near the side of neck, just below his ear. Justin dug his nails deep into Brian's skin from the sudden pain but moaned a second later when Brian began sucking on it.

"Get on your knees and your chest flat on the bed" Brian demanded grasping Justin's ass roughly.

He didn't know about his heart but his body, his body was already owned.

* * *

><p><em>Near the lake<em>

Justin was sitting on a flat rock near the lake and managing to portray an exquisite example of the cognitive dissonance phenomenon.

He was sketching. Sketching none other than Brian Kinney himself, something he vowed never to do.

So to justify his inner conflict, he told himself over and over again that it wasn't because he "liked" him but he was merely doing what an artist does-capturing beautiful imagery on paper. He would dump this sketch once it was done. He couldn't imagine to what proportions Kinney's ego would inflate to if he knew Justin was drawing him. He was already embarrassed enough to last a century. Justin's cheeks growing a hot crimson as he remembered the morning's events, Brian had fucked him so hard he had nearly passed out.

He would've nearly fallen asleep with exhaustion if not brought back to life with a reviving kiss in the shower that never seemed to end. Brian then had sucked him with his ruby red swollen lips. Energy now completely drained,his body feeling a little limp, Justin was now more than ready to go back to bed and fall asleep for a couple of decades or so but Brian didn't stop. He then pushed Justin against the bathroom wall, lifted his legs onto his shoulders and fucked him again against the wall. Thrusting inside him with wild abandon and such a desperate need.

Justin's cheeks was plunging into a darker red when he remembered how he couldn't suppress his moans and wanting more and more...

Although he had to admit it was sort of nice when Brian had carried him back to the bed, and told him something about sleeping during the night. He then left, after giving him nice long, passion-filled goodnight kiss during breakfast time.

He jerked out his memories. The sun was soon going to set. The dusk provided Justin enough light to continue sketching but the lake seemed to grow more ominous and deeper with each passing second.

Suddenly Justin's ears perked up. In between noisy crickets, few croaking noises and evening calls from birds he heard a rather unusual sound like something being dragged across the hard muddy terrain.

_Strange...was it an animal of some sort? _

Justin shrugged and continued shading Brian's hair.

The dragging noises was now replaced with more organised precise crunches of dead leaves. Justin immediately concluded that it could not have been animal since the crackling noises were aligned to the rhythm of footsteps. They'd come one after the other, rather than the quick random scrambled steps of a rabbit, for example.

He skimmed the surrounding shrubs and bleak landscape once more. He couldn't see much. It was either too grey or too dark green, only shrubs or barks of trees were to be seen.

He quickly threw the art materials aside and began walking towards the palace, first he walked...then he jogged and then he started running. He knew he should've listened to Miranda. Don't go too far she said.

Justin's heart was now throbbing in his throat and his senses were quickly becoming hazy and harder to control. He secretly wished that Brian was here with him. Blindly running with his eyes open, he then suddenly tripped over something, a rock, a twig or a root of the tree. He didn't fucking know and he felt himself hurling towards the ground at break-neck speed.

Justin cursed out loud. He first cursed himself and then he cursed the over-turned thick root from a nearby tree and then he cursed a possible sprain in his ankle.

Justin tried to get up but he couldn't at his first try, and then he felt it, something or someone trying to help him up, a hand on his shoulder.

Justin started to have a panic attack, his heart now frenzy with fear. He was about to yell when he heard the person speak.

"Prince, it's me, Brandon, if you remembered" The voice was deep and calm.

Justin turned around and pushed Brandon's hand away with force. His breathing heavy, and his chest heaving.

"Were you trying to kill me?" He asked, his voice trembling with unspoken fury and anger.

"I apologize sincerely, I didn't mean to..." He looked away when he spoke. Brandon too had sweat trickling from the side of his face, his hair oilier than ever.

Justin didn't let him finish and he barked back "Then what were you doing _sneaking_ up behind me?..ah fuck"

Justin had involuntarily placed pressure on his ankle.

Brandon bent down, trying to cradle Justin's ankle in his hand.

"Stop"

Let him be damned but Brian's warning wasn't lost on him and he was even more apprehensive than normal.

Brandon sighed.

"Please, listen, I only wanted to talk to you and before I could reach you, you disappeared... and then I heard you in pain and..."

"Talk to me about what?" Justin interrupted, his voice holding suspicion.

"First we have to take care of your wounds"

"Yes but it's not _you_ who would be doing that..."

Brandon sighed. _Stubborn prick_

Brandon had to change his tactics. After the encounter with the king himself, he knew he had to be careful. He smiled inwardly when he realised that Justin had no clue about his own little game he played with the king and knowing Brian, Brandon knew he wouldn't tell Justin. Well it worked to his advantage.

"Allow me to at least help you to get to the palace, it's quite a long way..."

It was true, reaching the palace would take at least another fifteen minutes and with Justin's condition it would take double the amount of time.

"It's the least I could do" He added sincerely and even bowed his head.

Justin quickly analysed the possible consequences and as much he hated to admit, this did seem to be the only practical solution besides it was getting really dark. And maybe he could fill in the puzzle behind Brian's mysterious warning.

Justin nodded.

Brandon's lips slowly turned at the edges. He wrapped his arm around Justin's waist, pulling him flush against the side of his body. Their eyes met briefly before Justin bent down slightly and scraped off some soil from his knees and he too held onto Brandon.

Brandon walked while Justin limped along with him.

The evening breeze did nothing to help Justin from the waves of nausea that was threateningly to break lose. Brandon smelt...strange. It was like iron and copper mixed with something else, like blood?

Brandon held onto the Justin, his grip unconsciously becoming tighter. His senses were working overdrive, Justin's scent driving him a little crazy. It had been a long time, no doubt about that. Long time since he had a living, breathing warm body this close to him. He had been secluded to the dead almost his entire life and right now, it didn't help that this warm, precious body was the prince himself. He couldn't even remember the last time he had sex, with a live person that is...

But even the slightest lapse in his judgement, his endeavours would be in vain and his brother would be ashamed of him.

Justin looked at Brandon briefly, his face looked troubled. He cleared his throat and asked softly "So Brandon, you wanted to talk to me..."

Brandon's gaze turned to Justin and part of him was paralysed, more precisely the parts where Justin was touching him. He knew if Brian had glimpsed even a tiny fragment to what was going on in his head right now, he'd personally kill him, probably more than once.

"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about the other day, we didn't exactly get on the right foot."

Justin raised his eyebrow. What was he playing against?

"Would you explain further?"

"I guess I appeared foreboding, even to the point where I sounded slightly lunatic, I'm sure you remember" Brandon laughed

Justin remembered all right. 'Assassinating' Brian.

"I was only in a dire emotional state and it's just that I didn't want to see you ending up like the others"

Justin's stared right ahead and stated bluntly "You're lying"

Suddenly Justin felt a sharp pain. "Ah...you're holding me a little too tight"

Brandon immediately loosened his grip around Justin. He stared at Justin, shock present in his eyes.

"It's more than that, isn't it?"

"Prince, you're mistaken..." Brandon started to talk again, trying to convince that he didn't have any other intentions.

Justin cut him off.

"Brandon, don't insult me. You practically live in the cemetery, you couldn't care less if you were to cremate a man or a roach, let alone some stranger the king had married. You're immune to grief, habituated to insensitivity. So tell me who are you _really_ and what's your relationship with Brian?"

_Bullseye_

They were getting closer to the palace. Time was running out to talk. They both stopped walking.

Brandon remained silent for a while before he finally resigned.

"Well done Justin, I might have underestimated you"

Brandon released Justin from his hold and pulled out a folded paper. It was Justin's sketch of Brian. He unfolded it and stretched it out for Justin to see.

"But you're still pathetic"

He then scrunched it up right in front of Justin's eyes.

Justin's smug expression vanished and his face grew darker.

Brandon pushed two strands of his oily hair behind his ear and continued staring intently in Justin's eyes.

"In two months...probably an another extra month for you" Brandon said giving Justin a full swipe of his body with his hungry eyes.

"Guess what'd happen then?"

"What exactly?" Justin sniped back.

"You seem far less dull than the _others_, figure it out"

"I'm not like the others" Justin replied although in a small voice, his insecurities flaring.

Brandon laughed mockingly. "In what ways? Not being a slave for his sexual charms? Not guided by meaningless infatuation?"

Brandon then dropped the sketch onto the ground and crushed it further with his boots until it was torn and tapered, completely camouflaged into the soil. Justin stared, emotionless at his sketch being dissolved into the ground.

"Now excuse me prince, I can no longer assist you outside these boundaries"

Justin watched Brandon disappearing into the darkness. He limped on his own for a few more yards until one of the maids spotted him and rushed to help him.

* * *

><p>Justin would come back to him. He would. He should.<p>

Although he had grossly miscalculated what the boy was capable of. He was not one of those other obsequious whores. No not at all. This kid was different. He was perceptive, intuitive and actually had solid, functional mass of tissue in his skull but he had to have a weak point that he could use it to his advantage.

Something he could provoke and possibly amplify and if he was lucky maybe he already had done that.

Now he had another job to finish, one that was quite unexpected but one that he was sure he would enjoy.

* * *

><p><em>Dining Room <em>

Justin showered and his ankle was now covered with some wool padding, although it was concealed by his pants and his walking had improved a little. Justin walked halfway into the dining room and groaned mentally. A table full of guests were seated round the table, sitting and talking inanely. The smell of cooked meat, warm bread and sounds of chattering and cheerful banter reverberated in the room. None of them had started eating yet.

Once Justin was fully inside the grand hall, twenty-five pairs of eyes were drawn to him like pins drawn to a magnet.

Justin could immediately recognise that Cynthia, Lindsey, Theodore and Ben were missing from the table.

The guests were all men, except for Melanie. Despite being the only woman, she looked confident and unnerved by her minor presence. Apart from Brian and Michael, most of them were old, with growing beards, thinning hairlines or erupting white hair.

He didn't like people, not too many of them at once, especially when these people had no affiliation with him. Too many watchful eyes and too many judging minds created a big nonsensical jumble in his head. Justin stood there awkwardly still rooted to his spot.

Brian cocked his head to the side, one hand still stretched out in mid-air, motioning to come towards him.

"C'm here"

Justin blinked slowly and he suddenly found himself walking towards Brian. Like being drawn to a warm fireplace in the dead of winter.

Brandon's voice suddenly joined with his own conscience and they reverberated together. _You're pathetic._

Brian smiled and he pulled the hesitant and the suddenly shy Justin towards him. Brian made a note about Justin and social gatherings.

"What happened to your leg?"

Brian had noticed the slight change in Justin's walking.

"I fell" was Justin's reply.

Brian decided to leave it at that, he knew enough about Justin to know that his answer wouldn't get more detailed than that.

He pulled his fire-spitting dragon onto his lap.

"Ah Jonathan isn't?" An old man exclaimed sitting next to Michael, his wine glass raised in mid-air pointing towards him.

"No this here is Justin, Jonathan was here last year" Michael corrected him.

Justin paled, his skin becoming almost translucent.

"Jonathan, Justin...same thing Michael" He said laughing. "So how are you doing Jacob?"

Justin shot him a death glare as he fisted a knife in his hand and twirled it around his hand.

"You said something?" Justin asked, his voice steely cold.

The man's cheerful demeanour watered down like a wet match and he looked back at Brian for some much needed back-up.

Behind him Justin heard Brian chuckle.

Brian gave an expression that said _You've asked for it_ and shrugged.

Brian slowly wound his arms around Justin and squeezed him a little tightly to calm him down.

"Relax" Brian breathed in his ear and in return he felt Justin's shoulders relaxing a little.

"I didn't know you were coming to this dinner" Brian whispered to Justin

"I wouldn't have, if I had known" Justin replied bitterly, still feeling sour from before.

Brian rolled his lips into his mouth; he then turned his attention to the guests.

"Gentlemen" Brian started and then adding a sly smile "That includes you too, Melanie"

Melanie rolled her eyes in response while a few man snickered.

"I'd like to begin the dinner by saying how pleased I am that you all are here and even more so after you had agreed to the new _conditions_. I'm indeed overwhelmed that I'm surrounded by capable, intelligent men"

Mel had to give him credit for his ability to bullshit so easily. He was like a hunter luring these sheep into his trap, his words being the bait. Although in this case, these people were not sheep but wolves.

"The conditions were well thought of!" A boisterous man yelled while waving his drink about, spilling some onto his lap.

"To the King!" Another man shouted.

"Long Live the King!"

They all cheered and toasted their drinks to Brian.

Justin sat there on Brian's warm lap, wondering what the heck was going on. What could've this man possibly have accomplished? Build new establishments for torturing people in new ingenious ways?

Goose bumps sprinted along Justin's pale skin as Brian's arms grazed his own whenever Brian moved or drank from his wine.

Brian too, on the other hand was being affected in a similar fashion. The minute Justin had arrived, Brian had difficulty concentrating on anything else.

Now between dinner being served and guests talking, he had zoned everything out. The weight of needing to impress the influential was forgotten. Their conversations were now an insignificant buzz in the background, unimportant murmurings. Mel's warning look ignored.

Right now...Only Justin mattered.

Justin's scent, Justin's body was _all_ he could think about.

Brian bent his head down and kissed the nape of Justin's neck. He smiled against the pale skin on hearing Justin's inaudible but small gasp.

Brian's hand gripped the inside of Justin's thigh and began to rub Justin's cock through his pants. Justin's breathing quickened. Brian felt Justin's smaller hand over his own, squeezing it, trying to stop him or encourage him, he wasn't so sure.

"Brian..." Justin hissed in warning.

Brian pulled him back and dragged his lips across the side of Justin's neck, he could feel Justin's rapid pulse throbbing against his lips.

"I want to fuck you"

A shiver ripped inside Justin's body like a whip. That same fireplace was now burning the house down. He whimpered quietly when he felt something hard rubbing against his ass.

Brian's hand started to move faster as he growled "First I'll fuck your mouth and then your..."

Justin closed his eyes, scrunching the table cloth in a poor attempt to release some tension as he tried to desperately stop himself from moaning out loud.

"Brian!" Mel scowled loud and clear.

Brian looked up from his lust-glazed eyes. Melanie shot him a glare, a growling glare.

"Marlin here, asked you a question" She enunciated slowly, steam escaping from her nose and ears.

Justin thanked that momentary interruption because he knew one more minute of Brian's torment, he would've exploded.

Melanie saw a flicker of anger in Brian's eyes but much to Melanie's relief and the others on the table, Brian replied to Marlin. His hands now well and truly above the table.

Suddenly Justin felt cold, his body mourning the loss of touch. These feelings of want were becoming more intense, becoming harder to control. Right now, this minute, all Justin wanted to say was _Brian, touch me and hold me closer and so tight that I'd suffocate breathing you in. _

This...This right here. He hated this, he hated feeling like this. He was slowly losing himself, turning into this depraved needy person. Brandon had been right. He was becoming trapped in his infatuation. What really scared Justin was that the yearning never seemed to die, but increased with each time he was with Brian.

When he felt Brian's hand brush against his leg, Justin made a split-second decision.

He got up.

Brian raised his eyebrow. His expression calm and composed yet this necessarily wasn't the case on the inside.

The whole dining room grew instantly silent.

"Where are you going?" Brian asked.

All eyes darted towards Brian.

Justin shrugged and replied calmly.

"Anywhere but here"

Eyes now shocked turned towards Justin.

Brian rubbed his forehead in irritation. _What was the problem now? _

"Why now? You haven't eaten anything yet" Brian said sounding uninterested, looking away.

Eyes were now back to Brian again, but one pair of eyes were still on Justin, for reasons we know all too well.

Brian's attitude only widened the gate that channelled Justin's anger.

"Don't look so worried, I'll still be available for you to fuck me when you get back, _my lord_"

Justin lowered his voice, his eyes flitting towards the floor. "That's all you care about anyway"

A few collective gasps, murmurings and a spluttered cough from Melanie erupted in that room. All eyes were now back to Justin, which were all widened and dilated with surprise apart from one pair of eyes which were a lusty black.

"Good evening gentlemen, hope you had a lovely show, especially _you over there_" He said sarcastically pointing to the man who had been ogling him the entire time.

The man named Saperstein shook his head in disbelief and muttered "What a rude boy"

Everyone expected Brian to do something. To display his famous rage, even Michael, his companion for years expected something to happen. Maybe he'd come up with something smarter and more sophisticated than starvation.

But Brian did nothing.

"Don't you love the lamb?" Mel complimented, trying to break the ice and distract the sheep.

Michael glanced at Brian and gave him a 'sorry' look and contemplated on what was so special about Justin Taylor that tied Brian Kinney in irrevocable knots.

After that the environment became somewhat awkward. Men whispered amongst themselves like gossiping women, conversations became strained and more superficial.

By the time the dinner ended, Brian was having a massive headache and temper that was ready to break.

* * *

><p><em>Palace Corridor <em>

Mel quickened her footsteps and moved in front of Brian, blocking his pathway.

"Have you lost your mind?" She asked, her voice holding incredulity and ridicule.

Brian had enough for one day and he certainly didn't need Melanie to add the sprinkles of torture on top. "Fuck off Melanie!" He barked.

Brian's voice didn't affect her and she continued in a steady voice. "Sure I'll keep my mouth shut while _you_ ruin our relations with the people who pay the taxes, _most of our taxes_"

She had to stress that last sentence since Brian had compensated with those idiots to leverage the taxes on the peasants.

"Unfortunately for you I haven't lost my mind yet. What you're forgetting is that they need me as much we need them. I can control them" Brian said although his confidence faltered by the time it got to the end of his sentence.

Melanie caught that slight wavering in Brian's tone which boosted her own confidence and she continued.

"Oh boy, I'm sure you know _all _about control, you nearly _fucked _Justin on the table, not to mention you sent one of them to get _whipped!"_

"He deserved it, now if you'll excuse me"

"You'll see, before you know it they'd be paying one of those burly sadists behind your back to slit your precious throat..."

"Mel, don't say another word"

"I just don't want you to end up like him" Mel said. And then they both knew who she was referring to, Jack Kinney, their very own father murdered brutally by the very people sitting at their table. Although their entire family agreed that Jack deserved it. He couldn't control the money, the estates or maintain his public appearance. He drank and abused as many women he could get his hands on, especially taking advantage of the lower class women.

After his death however a new light shone brightly, Brian was the next heir and he had worked so hard to get to this point.

Brian only nodded.

Before Mel left, she added "And teach Justin some table manners, will you?"

* * *

><p>Justin was standing in the balcony. He gasped reflexively when a hand wound around his throat.<p>

He was pulled back into the room with and before he could understand what was going on, he was pushed against the wall and was staring into raging green eyes.

"What the fuck _was that_?"

"Let me go, Brian!"

Justin pushed past him and took a few strides before he was pulled back again, more forceful this time and was once again face to face with Brian.

"Do you _really_ think you can get away with what you just did there? Disrespecting me? In my _fucking palace_?"

Justin said nothing. Nothing he knew that would make the situation more easier to handle with. Deep inside, a bubble of regret was starting to form, waiting to just pop. Deep inside he wanted to just apologize and get over with it, so that they could go back to kissing and fucking.

How could he explain to Brian, that he had a momentary expulsion of anger because he was disgusted with himself and blaming Brian was an easier option. That he'd vented out his frustration because he was fast losing control. How could he explain to Brian that he was mad at himself because he was slowly falling for him...

"Tell me Justin, who the fuck do you think you are?"

When Justin didn't answer, he continued his bitter mockery.

Moving closer, towering over Justin, he asked condescendingly, "No? You don't know?"

"Then let me tell you"

"You're_ nothing_" He spat bitterly. He now pushed his finger against Justin's chest, pushing him back while he moved forward.

And then it started, the rage, the words rushing out like a rain of knives.

"You are the _insignificant other..._hell I could replace you right this minute and trust me that'd be an easy task_." _

His voice like venom, his words like fangs, sinking deeper into Justin's heart.

"You know what you are? A convenient..."

_Don't say it Brian, don't..._

_Don't confirm my fears...please._

"..._whore_."

Justin had never felt so low in his life. And the longer he tried to remain stronger, the more weaker he felt, the more closer he felt to breaking down.

"And Justin from now on your only duties are to _please me in bed_ and not to _talk back"_

"And if I..."

Justin's heart was broken and dangling at the foot of a cliff. He couldn't take this anymore.

_Stop...Stop...Stop_

Justin finally in a low and dejected tone, he croaked, "Fine, okay"

Brian immediately paused the second those words escaped Justin's lips. His mouth still hanging open, while he checked and double-checked to be sure that he heard right. Justin was _agreeing_?

Justin screaming back, shouting, even punching him, was what he had expected. It wasn't like Justin to give up so soon.

Taking a step back, his arrogant demeanour slowly disappearing, his voice was now small; he asked.

"What?"

Justin remained silent. His head hung low, tears now were dropping one by one, vanishing into the carpet. Every word Brian had uttered sliced him through and he could no longer pretend that he didn't care when he was clearly being affected by every word.

"Justin...?"

Justin slowly looked up from his golden eyelashes which were now holding onto a tearor two, his blue eyes dull and expressionless. The obstinate spark in him was long gone.

"Use me as you wish then"

A stone wall guarding Kinney's heart started to crack, tumble and fall. Suddenly the fog of temper started to clear and he felt reality hit him with a force that made him falter.

Brian's insides ached with a pain so foreign to him.

"Just, don't say anything more"

Brian moved closer, apprehensively and Justin winced when Brian touched his cheek.

Brian sighed. He ran a hand through his hair. One thing was for certain, this was the first time Brian Kinney had ever _cared _about the consequences of his actions, his _words, his rage. _His initial goal of just warning Justin to behave himself grew into something else.

Instead his plan had backfired, he had stepped over the line and he had gone too far. He did far more than reprimand his table manners...a lot more.

The truth was that he wanted Justin around _all the time._ He didn't know what the boy had done to him but gone was the Brian who could banish the boy to the dungeons with ease, now it was different, he felt different, the mere thought of punishing Justin now made him uncomfortable. He was struggling to deny that he was indeed falling for him...

Who was he fooling himself? Everything he had said sounded like he was merely trying to convince himself, trying to tell himself that Justin really did mean nothing because he knew that if he didn't think about him that way, this new fear would rise from its unsettled graves.

He knew that once Justin would be given the chance back to his old life, Justin would reject him in the brink of a heartbeat, hell he made it perfectly clear since day one and so he felt that if he at least betrayed and deluded himself, he would protect his heart thinking that he never needed the boy in the first place anyway.

This was his way of keeping his insecurities at bay and at the same time he could pursue this 'control' over him.

He sighed. For the first time in his life, he wished he could go back in time and fix what he had broken.

And now, he was in a position where he knew that he was expected to say something. But what exactly was he going to say? Expressing feelings wasn't exactly his forte. It made him too anxious, laid him out as vulnerable and posed him as a weakling.

Not able to handle all these fucking emotions. He left the room.

Running away was easier. It always had been his emotional exit, what he didn't know was that this exit was only an illusion.

* * *

><p><em>Michael's Study<em>

Michael frowned when he saw who walked inside the study.

"I asked for Francis, didn't I?"

"I'm afraid Francis is not available Sire, he couldn't be found in the quarters or anywhere else for that matter"

Michael gave him a confused expression.

"I need to see him_ now_, I'll be away for next week"

"I'm sorry Sire but we were not able to locate him"

Ben had told him how Francis was a sleek, stealthy spy. His life almost as secret as his job.

Michael sighed.

"Fine, when you do see him, please let him know that I would like to see him immediately"

"Very well Sire"

* * *

><p>Chapter End Notes:<p>

Next update will be in two weeks with two chapters ending Brandon's storyline.


	9. Heart's A Mess

**_The Day After_**

Breakfast at the dining table was even more awkward than last night. It was eerily quiet. Everyone was staring at their own silver bowls and plates. Food slithering slowly down their throats.

"Where's Justin?" Cynthia asked, breaking the deathly silence. She looked up at Brian for an answer but his face as usual, was expressionless. Everyone else watched Cynthia and then back at Brian.

Cynthia set her silver spoon down and cleared her throat. "Brian?" She asked tentatively.

Brian dabbed his mouth with a silken cloth and then stood up.

He dimly stated, ignoring Cynthia's inquiry. "I've responsibilities to take care of"

"Right, I hope you consider Justin as one your _responsibilities_"

"He's a grown man. I hardly think there is a need for me to look after him"

A flash of anger appeared on her face. "You must understand…" She started, looking at all of them now.

"He didn't come on his own will, like the rest of them. He's lost so much on his way to being your…_companion_."

She stood up now. "Surely, you're not surprised that he had acted that way. He misses his life. He's confused, possibly still hurt but you still continue to taunt him, try to tame him."

"Don't I know?" He asked, his fist pounding into the table. His jaw clenched hard. "I was the one who stole him remember?"

"Besides, I already did tame him." He told her, smirk firmly in place.

Melanie did an eye roll. That was such a typical Brian response.

"Well, congratulations" She said quietly, rising her glass up to him.

* * *

><p>Cynthia's words repeated in his head as Brian walked along the lonely corridors. They brought back memories, unwanted ones. It reminded him of the early days when he saw Justin nothing but a defiant sex puppet that needed to be punished. He wanted him to comply; never had he put that much effort and time in order to control a convenient lay.<p>

He unconsciously let his index finger trail the smoothness of the wall beside him, his concentration broken by a voice.

"Morning Sire" A man bellowed.

Brian nodded in courtesy.

Everything in life seemed predictable, boring, tedious…

"We'll meet you at nine in the court, Sire?" Another man, this time a courtier named Peter asked.

"As usual" Brian replied.

_Yes, _it had become _just _usual… until Justin came along. He changed everything then. For the first time in life, Brian was knocked on his knees, swept off his feet so to speak. He was challenged by a man half his build albeit had twice the strength.

He wanted to smile but he couldn't.

He leaned against the wall beside the door to the bedroom chamber where Justin was possibly sleeping.

He didn't want to admit it. But he was nervous. It was ridiculous. He leaned his head against the cool wall and closed his eyes.

Justin…The first time he saw his body. It made him lose control like never before. He needed it. He wanted to own it. Justin had unleashed the most sex-depraved demon inside him. He hoped once he fed that demon, he knew his interest would drop and life would be back to normal.

But nothing, absolutely nothing went according to his plans. Their first night was a disaster, consequent nights were worse. Justin had the nerve to disagree to anything he'd barely suggest let alone order him around. It wrecked his head at first but then again, part of him was intrigued. No one said 'no' to him. No one. Yet here he was, still here in this palace, in his bed.

Once they had sex however the same demon inside him demanded more. Its already voracious appetite grew into something more dangerous. It was never satisfied.

However, Brian knew that it meant nothing to Justin. He had never really gotten close to him. Justin's mind, his feelings was an inner sanctum that he never was allowed in to. Justin was still untouchable in a way. There was this invisible immense barrier between them, it only grew bigger with time and every time Brian broke his spirit.

Brian grew up knowing that everyone wanted him, wanted to be like him. It was only natural. With Justin, it was different. He never really felt Justin wanted him except when they were half-way during sex and Justin would be forced to let out his captive feelings. That was the only time Brian would be able to confirm that it indeed hadn't been a rape. And Justin definitely made it clear that he was the bastard that everyone secretly hated.

Brian's eyes snapped open. He walked to the door, clasped the long door handle and paused…

It was his courage. Or was it his smile? That he rarely saw. Brian ran a hand through his hair, he sighed. Especially when he would smile shyly, looking up at him with those eyes trustingly. Those moments were rare or maybe that was only a dream? Maybe he had never seen him smile.

He never had a reason to.

Brian went inside the room. Everything that happened last night, played like a nightmare before his eyes.

It seemed no matter what he did, Justin always shone bright. His rebellious nature was something Brian could relate to. He refused to be defeated. He admired that in Justin, more than just admired. But after last night, for the first time he saw it flickering, his light was dying.

He shouldn't have said, what he said. Christ, his blood had been boiling that night, his head was swimming with flashes of fury that he didn't think before he yelled at him like a maddened animal that he was.

Brian frowned, this bothered him more than he expected. In fact all he was seeing was Justin's withdrawn expression, his silent resignation. Strangely, that was what he wanted from Justin since the very beginning; to make him obey, conform to his rules. _To tame him_, so to speak.

Brian wanted Justin to fight him. Keep him alive.

He pushed past the curtain surrounding the bed and swiped back the covers, wanting to see a warm, hopefully naked body.

However, there was nothing but a caved- in mattress. Brian sighed. _Where was he? _

* * *

><p>Justin had taken a liking to the lake. He was drawn to its unearthly charms. The gloomy environment seemed to resonate with his own depressing mood. Even the skies were a dark shade of grey and the sun played behind the portentous clouds.<p>

The desolate nature was perfectly being imitated on his thick sketching sheet. He was using black stick of carbon against it. He wanted to try something, picture something beautiful but there was nothing but smudges. Anger consumed him. His fingers trembled.

He finally gave up and let the chalk drop heavily against the paper.

He sat on a rough angular rock, feet nearly touching the water. He stared into the bland landscape below his feet, his mind's eye however played something else than plain old murky water and moss.

Brian stilled before his eyes. His face ugly with twisted contortion. He couldn't help but still feel the lash of his burning anger, like his naked body feeling the whip of his stinging words. The coldness in his voice, his unfailing expression of deep disgust towards him.

Was he really _nothing? A whore was he? _

It hurt.

It bloody hurt.

A painful, still much alive char was set aflame deep in his chest.

He'd been here for _hours_. Just thinking, replaying and then regretting.

Justin regretted for having acted that way in the dining hall but it couldn't be helped. It was a deadly mixture of his own strangulating guilt that was building inside him; Brandon's words only aggravated the situation.

His fears were another reason, which made him act that way with Brian. Now he's lost even the least bit of respect Brian had for him. He soon lost his sensibility and his defences started to take over. He was soon pushing Brian away and the rest was...

He should stop. _ Stop trying to scrape and tear at the wound. _

He sighed, tilted his head back, his beautiful blond hair flowed like a golden waterfall behind him.

He closed his eyes. Blackness seeped his vision, matching his sombre mood.

A pang of guilt struck him like lightning when he thought about the last time he'd thought of Chris.

_Chris..._

He gulped. It had been a _while_... and now Chris seemed more like a distant dream, a far off, far away dream that made him wonder if those events had ever really happened or was it just some contorted fantasy he had made up?

Justin held the bridge of his nose with his fingers...yes, an aching pain was starting in his head. It seemed that this madness about Brian, this disease had been proceeding in a far worse condition than he had anticipated.

The real question was...would he see Chris again?

Justin highly doubted it that he would he ever see him again, let alone continuing their relationship but what scared him more was that insanely calm indifference he felt towards that notion. He didn't feel pain or regret...there was _nothing. _Justin figured his feelings would return once he'd see him again. Yes, that was it.

Justin wildly ran his hand through his hair.

Realisation had struck.

What was happening? Where was that Justin that had battled Brian on their wedding night?

Months ago, he had acted on his impulses and he never thought about it twice. Couldn't care less about the consequences. Couldn't care less what Brian thought about him.

But now things seemed different. Felt different. As days went by, Justin watched Brian. At first he knew all the respect Brian received was a farce but as he watched his family and everyone around him, including the people he ruled actually wanted him to be in control. He realised it had to be genuine. He didn't completely understand that yet. Not to mention Brian's past intrigued him despite his resistance to learn.

Brian was a puzzle. There was something about his dominant, guarded, reticent character that Justin was slowly getting attracted to.

And despite Justin's resistant behaviour, the stubbornness, the nonchalant attitude...beneath all these suffocating layers...

Justin _wanted_ Brian.

Pure and simple.

However there was _nothing…_simple or pure about it. It was lust. He knew it was a dirty, filthy emotion. It couldn't be anything more than that. It couldn't! And he was well aware that lust was not everlasting, it was temporary. It was meaningless. Futile. His feelings of hatred would return thereafter after this phase of indecency would wear away.

The second Brian would come into the picture. Justin's brilliant reasoning would then become somewhat threatened. It would become illogical, completely irrational.

Especially, when he'd feel Brian's hot yet soft lips against his, he'd fall somewhere so deep and when Brian moan into his mouth, the delicious sound of desire filling his ears would momentarily dislodge his focus. And when he'd force his smooth, velvet wetness inside him...he would be gone so far deep in this unfathomable place that it would take minutes to reel back into reality.

And then it would start...this pathological chain of events. His thoughts would start to unravel, become violent...sadistic. It would induce in him a need like no other. It would be desperate, almost like an animal-like need to own him, to make him completely his. When Brian would hold him in his arms, or pin him down with his body, part of him that was suppressed for so long, would be unleashed…. And he'd become exceedingly selfish, greedy, _all_ for Brian's touch, his taste, his scent. Because there it never seemed like he would get enough of him and he wanted more…more and more.

If he could...He'd especially wanted to tear Brian's dark, invigorating heart and make it bleed for him. For him only.

And this would scare him endless. This depth of emotion for someone as _Brian._

The first drop from the skies startled him but the rest of them brought out no reaction.

* * *

><p>Brian had a restless night and now he was forced to do his duties with half his head still in bed and the other half with a certain someone.<p>

He bit viciously at anyone who talked more than two sentences, urging them to hurry.

He would rub his forehead in frustration. He would tilt his head to the air and sigh hard. He would pinch the bridge of his nose, close his eyes briefly before he'd swallow someone whole. He would impatiently tap his feet. He would suddenly get up, walk a few metres and then would sit back again.

He was going fucking mad.

"Sire, are you sure you don't want to rest?" Michael asked, obviously a little worried.

"Hmm?" Brian answered, his eyes still closed. Hoping that this ache would vanish.

"Rest?" He repeated bitterly. "Why, do you wish to take over? Maybe you'd like to wear this crown too?"

Michael really wanted to say that Brian was acting like a buffoon. Instead he managed to say "You look tired, Sire. It would be counter-productive to deal with the village's issues with an irate attitude"

Brian glared at him but nodded his head. Michael had a point, usually.

"Dismiss the court"

He then got up, clicked his fingers at one of the men standing beside the throne. The man quickly picked up the pillow and bowed his head. Brian took off his crown and placed it on the pillow. He then turned towards Michael.

* * *

><p>Black droplets from the sketch crawled towards the edge of the thickened paper, disappearing into a black puddle between Justin's feet.<p>

Justin looked up into the black skies. His eyes closing, he let the cool rain wash his heated cheeks.

He knew this was incredibly reckless, foolish even to think that he still wanted Brian. Still wanted to play their game of lust and lies, play hide and seek behind the curtains of pride, forts of their fear...could he ever seek Brian in that game?

You could call him a coward for not being true to his feelings or call him noble for standing up for his idealistic persona...whatever the reason was, the truth was...It was better to live in the pretence of hate than yearn for something that Brian would never be able to give him, something that he himself would _never _give to Brian.

Justin stood up and pulled up his sketch with him. His hair was now completely plastered to his face and his clothes dripping wet.

A voice suddenly brought him out his desolate reverie. He turned his head, his hair swishing water to the sides.

"Prince, the king would like to see you" It was one of the guards. Medium build and dark brown hair. Those are the only things Justin saw.

Justin didn't say anything, instead he rolled his watered down sketch.

"He wants you _right away_"

Justin continued to taunt the messenger with silence.

"Prince…the king shouldn't be waited upon" He said prudently, as if that was a grave mistake.

"Would you please, close that mouth of yours? I'd go to him, when I'm ready"

"I'm afraid…that's not wise" He retorted, his expression grim.

Justin was frustrated now, catching hold of a rock. He threw it away, the rock carrying all of his anger towards _Brian_, his confusion and the profound uncertainty of his own feelings.

The guard jumped inside in glee when the Prince acquiesced to him and started to follow him.

"I'd have to change first" Justin said shivering a little. He was feeling quite dense that he had almost drowned himself in the rain.

The guard flushed all of a sudden, fear in his eyes. "I'm afraid…"

"That's not wise?"

"Uh, yes Sir"

The man quickly added "The king wishes you to be with him as soon as possible"

Justin mentally screamed.

* * *

><p>Justin entered a gigantic hall situated a kilometre away from the main palace. He stepped inside a little warily. Not to mention, his entire body was exhausted and he felt incredibly soggy. His stomach had become a monster, growling and contracting like a psychotic beast and now the thought of meeting with Brian brought another brute that churned his guts like a maddened whirl pool. It also made him feel a whole lot of other emotions, namely anger and more anger.<p>

He wanted to get this meeting over and done with, then change into some dry clothes and hopefully eat and then sleep for a week or so.

He distracted himself with the architecture. It was magnificent. Six pillars of two columns lined on either of the room, the ceiling was high as the sky. Justin's eyes then fell upon Brian and every cell in his body suddenly came to a still.

Brian was at the other end occupied with his sword. He wore nothing but his pants. His skin pores leaked sweat. He was taking part in a practice fight with one of the men. He swung flawlessly. Justin stood transfixed, mesmerized.

Brian didn't know why but he looked up. When he did, he knew instantly why, sapphire eyes were burning into him. Unbeknownst Justin, Brian had been practicing for quite a long time. He realised no matter how long he tried his best, distracting himself; Justin was always there. He decided if he wanted to stop this madness, all this bloody guilt that was poisoning him he needed to see Justin.

Brian ended the fight in the next second with the sword of the other man making a loud clanging sound as it fell to the floor in defeat.

The man humbly bowed at his loss.

"You can leave now" He said sternly, his eyes still locked with Justin's.

"Very well. I'll take my leave, your highness"

The sound of the footsteps came and went and left both Brian and Justin in a deafening silence.

Brian closed the distance between them. "I've been waiting for you" He said quietly, pushing his sword back into his holder.

"You're drenched?" Brian asked, wanting to the reason why.

Justin shook his head, letting the water droplets hanging heavily to his blond strands disperse. Brian stepped back from the water spray.

Justin shrugged.

"Could I see your sword?" Justin asked, ignoring Brian's attempt to start the conversation.

A pregnant pause followed, as Brian tried calculating Justin's thoughts. He then pulled it out and handed it to Justin.

It was bloody heavy. Justin used both his hands.

"Makes you feel powerful, doesn't it?"

Justin nodded somewhat absent-mindedly. He wondered how many men Brian had killed with this very sword. He remembered how Brian used to threaten him on their first night together.

They had a come a long way from that…or had they really?

Justin wasn't too accustomed to sword-fighting but he wasn't a complete novice. His father tried convincing him to learn but Justin was never really interested.

"So?" Justin asked.

Justin looked delicious, standing there all wet and transparent. Brian tried to run his fingers through those spiky wet strands only to find his object of desire move one step back. Brian grimaced, and a spark of irritation ignited in him.

"Why did you call me?" Justin asked the second time. He noticed Brian's eyes darken and he knew immediately why.

Brian hesitated, especially now that Justin's tone was beginning to annoy him a little.

"You wanted my services? Your majesty?" Justin mocked. One hand held on to the sword while the other started to unbutton his long crème coloured silk shirt that hung till his knees, each button loosened one by one to show. Justin's expression paraded his false sense of submission.

"Justin, stop." Brian ordered quietly.

Half-way through, Brian clasped Justin's wrist, tightly. Anger was rising steadily but Justin didn't back down.

"This _is_ what you wanted?" Justin asked.

He wasn't sure if it was Justin's smugness or it was the fact that his ego had been bruised once again but he knew was losing control again. Brian's jaw tightened before he asked "Is this your attempt to make me feel guilty or are you just that desperate?"

Brian triumphed, that got to Justin like a sword slicing through skin. Part of him wished he could take that back. This wasn't what he planned.

Justin pushed Brian's hands off him, harshly.

"You're unbelievable"

"So I've heard"

Justin's skin flushed red and his hands trembled.

Justin stepped back, the sword still in his hands. Held with all his might.

"I'm tired Brian. Tired of thinking and hoping that maybe, just _maybe_ you have a heart"

Brian watched Justin, his voice held disappointment but he knew underneath there stood something more dangerous.

Justin moved closer, the tip of the sword pressing against Brian's bare chest.

Brian didn't even flinch.

Justin eyes were fire. His expression livid and perilous.

"If I could, I'd stab you…_a thousand times_, cut you open just to prove that there's nothing but emptiness inside"

Brian, for the first time in his life time felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He felt like he had been slapped hard and spit on. His words weren't only violent, it was something more. It was…FUCK.

In the next split second, something possessed Brian, a vicious soul-plundering demon perhaps. He grabbed Justin's half-opened shirt, dragged him like he was a life-sized doll and smashed him against the pillar. The sword fell from Justin's hands.

Justin grunted in pain but his eyes were still wild.

"Who do you think you are?" Brian asked, no growled at him. He pressed himself against the lithe body, suffocating him against the pillar. Their foreheads touched, almost.

Justin's eye bored defiantly into Brian's. "Your whore" Justin whispered back, if it was possibly there would've been venom dripping from the corner of Justin's lips.

Brian clasped Justin's hair and tilted his neck back. Justin gasped, his mouth opening partially.

Brian stared at him for one second, maybe two and then his lips came smashing down on the surprised ones.

The kiss was brutal. Animalistic. Sinful.

Brian devoured Justin's mouth hungrily. Justin felt cornered, the heat was suffocating him. The heat emanating from Brian's and his own body was burning his skin. Justin tried to remain unresponsive but it was useless. The minute Brian's tongue was in his, fucking his mouth with his tongue, he returned the kiss with a reckless attitude. All the anger and their suppressed lust combining to form a deadly mixture. His hands snaked to the back of Brian's hair and pulled it hard, so fucking hard that Brian grunted in response. His lips disconnecting temporarily.

Pain shot through Brian's skull. It made him want to rip Justin open. He pressed Justin even harder against the pillar. His bare chest now in completely contact with Justin's rapidly pumping chest. It moved up and down, faster than seconds before. His hard rock erection rubbing against Justin's not so disappointing one.

Brian resumed taking small nips along Justin's neck.

Justin's body continued to arch with every tease and bite, his body rubbing against Brian.

Brian's hand slipped inside and squeezed his erection hard.

Justin twisted his neck, parting from Brian's lips to growl low in response. Brian slowly sunk his teeth into Justin's collar bone, deep enough that he could see the indentations of his own two upper and lower teeth. He quickly covered Justin's mouth as he gasped in pain. Brian knew if he was naked, precum would be leaking all over Justin's pale skin.

Justin felt searing pain from his collar bone. He briefly glanced at the two bite marks but he couldn't judge, he was in a state where he was thoroughly confused between pain and pleasure as Brian ravaged his already bruised lips.

It was just too much to handle. He was going to combust soon. His head was spinning. He was beyond the stage where he could form coherent thoughts let alone form decent words. Justin's hands slid across Brian's back, holding him so tight that Brian felt as if someone was pinching him hard.

Brian's lips parted. Their eyes met for a second. He couldn't believe the turn of events. He had invited Justin to talk to him about last night in a civilized fashion. Yet here they were fighting like animals. Brian was used to his consorts seeking his attention in perverse ways and usually he had no problem controlling them and his own behaviour. But with Justin…What was it that made him lose control like this?

He flipped Justin and pulled his wet tight pants down. Justin shut his eyes hard. He knew Brian was going to fuck him now and it made his body cry with intense need.

Slippery cum dripping fingers, thrust in, out, in and out. It was haphazard and it was quick. And in one single thrust Brian pushed his entire length into Justin's ass.

The stretch nearly broke him but it was satisfying. Justin groaned loud, it bounced off the walls causing an echo. He held tighter on to the pillar, his only support. His knees failed to hold him up. His body glistened with sweat.

Justin was slipping, collapsing on to the ground. Every muscle in his body quivered with intense waves of pleasure, wrecking his body. Brian tried holding him up with one hand but with each hard thrust Justin mewled and slipped an inch.

Brian desperately whispered Justin's name over and over again. His wet body was getting harder to grab onto.

Panting hard he managed to growl in Justin's ear "Onto your knees, _now"_

Justin fell to the floor. His mind incapacitated with almost painful lust. His sole need and purpose in that moment was Brian to fuck him and fuck him again.

Brian didn't waste any time. He thrust into Justin's ass, covering his entire body as he moved forward. One more thrust and Justin's hands slipped, allowing his upper half of the body to fall. His ass pushing higher than before, letting Brian's dick sink deeper into his ass. Both let out an inhumane deep bodily moan.

Their antics were disturbing, a messy sight.

Brian threaded his fingers into Justin's as they lifted his chest from off the floor.

"Beg for me" Brian demanded. The head of his cock rubbing against Justin's sensitive hole.

Justin groaned in frustrated. "No" He growled. He had to congratulate himself for making a successful word.

"You have to Justin" Brian demanded, his hand sitting heavily and hotly on Justin's ass.

Justin didn't reply. He panted, his mouth open and revelling the feeling of Brian's hard cock against his ass.

He felt Brian moving a little then he suddenly sucked in large amount of air when he felt a sharp sting against his ass.

There on Justin's ass were imprints of Brian's long fingers.

"Brian…" Justin gritted his teeth in frustration. So Brian was intent on humiliating him, perfect.

Brian held Justin's hips tightly and with one hand clasped the long strands of blond hair. Justin turned back and watched Brian. His brain was numbing down to only one distinctive need. He needed Brian, more than anything in this second and he was terrified.

"Fuck me…" Justin quietly demanded.

Justin grunted when another blow fanned against his ass.

Brian caressed the reddened cheek and said one word "Louder"

"Fuck me!" Justin resigned, his voice raising a notch.

"Fuck me…Fuck me…" He chanted, he was close to tears now.

Brian's dick leaked copiously in response to his pleading. He immediately began to thrust once more, desperately.

Justin shut his eyes. He couldn't think. He could only feel. _Yes, this is what he had wanted…_

Brian slowed down his thrust, now each time pulling out his cock and then pushing back in completely. Justin's body thrummed with pleasure. He had no control over his mouth as he moaned and moved his body to meet Brian's thrusts.

All decency had completely disappeared.

Brian roughly handled Justin's cock and Justin started cumming instantly, tightening around Brian's cock.

Brian pulled out and splashed his cum all over his ass. He loved the sight.

Justin actually lost consciousness for a few minutes. He had fallen asleep. His tired eyes then opened slowly. He saw the floor. He felt the stickiness of his own cum and then he realised Brian's cum was all over his ass and back. He was disgusted.

Justin stood up, he saw Brian leaning against the pillar. His eyes were closed, his chest however still pumping hard.

He doddered and struggled but he managed to pull on his pants. He wiped himself with his own shirt. He knew Brian was watching him now. He threw the shirt at Brian's feet. Justin felt his muscles failing. He wanted to sleep. That was the only thought radiating through his entire head.

Until he stumbled across the sword. Then ideas, new images of him killing Brian passed through his mind. Dark, black thoughts about blood and murder spilled and spread like poison through his body. Justin picked up the sword, rather awkwardly. One hand caressed the sharp edge. He wanted Brian to be punished, just once. How could he hate and want the same person?

Blond hair splayed across his forehead, sticking with sweat. Beads of sweat trickled across his face. Justin walked back until he hit the wall. He leaned against it, trying to calm his worried heart. Brian was watching him throughout. He didn't expect Justin would stand for a day or two and yet here he was surprising him.

Brian's heart still sped from the vigorous fucking he had participated in. His head snapped to meet Justin's when he uttered something quite unusual.

"I could kill you"

Justin's voice wasn't loud but those three words could've been understood by lip-reading alone.

"Really?" Brian asked, moving closer. The air thickened around them and Brian suddenly wished he was outside soaking the cool breeze.

"I have all the motivation, I need" Justin replied, eyeing the magnificent yet callous sword. His finger moving slowly against the edge. Sliding up and down, over and over again. A masochistic tendency perhaps. He didn't notice that the distance between him and Brian closing in.

"You've threatened me, twice. Quite bold for someone who has never held sword before"

Brian's distant voice suddenly became louder. He looked up to find Brian close to him, too close for his taste. Justin's breath hitched in his throat.

Brian pulled Justin's reluctant fingers away from the blade.

"Are you scared?" Justin asked, wiping the sweat off his brow.

Brian laughed. "I'm shivering with fright"

Justin's lips were set in a straight line, emotionless. What Brian saw in Justin's eyes disturbed him. They were devoid of any feeling. There was no fear in Justin's eyes. Usually Justin had a hard time looking into his eyes, even if he did he would look away quickly or blush and Brian enjoyed that immensely. Had he really pushed Justin over the edge?

Brian's hand tore into his own hair, lost in thought. Fuck, why was it with Justin there were always bound to be regrets. Would he ever do the right thing?

"Okay. Do it" Brian said, extending his arms to his side.

"What?" Justin asked, his shoulder's slumping slightly.

Brian remained silent for a moment before he moved closer to him, lips scraping Justin's ear.

Justin shivered.

"Make me bleed, Justin" He said, his voice honing in around Justin like a tight rope. Justin couldn't move.

The way Brian had uttered those three words made something deep inside Justin shudder. His airway felt constricted. Those three words shook him to his core. It made him giddy. His post-orgasmic state couldn't handle it.

He looked away, unable to compete with the intensity in Brian's eyes. "I don't understand, why?" He whispered quietly.

Brian's face was mere inch away from Justin.

"It doesn't matter why…Go on, take what you want."

He added raspily "Take your revenge against me"

Justin's stopped breathing.

"Make. Me. Feel. Pain."

Justin's head throbbed with confusion, overloaded with information he was unable to process. Was this his idea of a joke? Would this be his last minute before Brian was going to pull the sword from and stab him, right here to a bloody death? He could, if he wanted to. So why? Why was he doing this?

Looking into Brian's eyes, he knew this was no humour event. Hell, he doubted Brian could joke, be sickly sarcastic maybe but being humorous was beyond his capabilities.

Brian stepped back and waited for him. His entire body urged Justin to make a move.

Brian honestly wasn't exactly sure what he was trying to achieve. He had never, _never_ done this before, even in his most strangest dreams.

This was absurd.

But part of him wanted to show Justin, make him know in some possible way that he does care. Now his act appeared more dramatic than necessary but in that desperate second, looking into Justin's empty eyes. He knew he had to do something, quickly. He needed to extinguish the poison that was consuming him.

What made him anxious was how far Justin would go to make him suffer? That was a chance he was willing to take, a very risky one. He knew if Justin's willpower pushed him well enough, that sword could plunge him right into his heart.

Justin closed his eyes briefly. The walls of stoicism were crumbling, collapsing, locking him in.

_Brian._

_Brian_

_Brian_

Now that Brian was giving him a chance, a real chance to _hurt _him. He felt his previous threat be nothing but bluff.

Could he really do it?

Images of his past flickered before him betraying his sanity. He remembered how Brian snatched him from his beloved home. He removed him from his family, his livelihood only to realise that he was going to be owned. He was pressurised to sleep with him. He was threatened several times. He was called a _whore. _

He unconsciously gripped his sword tighter. Suddenly an overwhelming strength emerged from the darkest depths, empowering him.

_Don't Justin. Don't do it. He's doing this for a reason. Stop, let go. _

Another voice in his head howled at him like a rabid wolf.

_Do it Justin. Tear him apart. Make him suffer for everything he's done to you. For every night you couldn't sleep. For every tear that you cried, that was ignored. Even if you die, it would be worth it. _

_Do it!_

A sole tear escaped from the prisons of stoicism and scrambled quickly down his cheek.

_Don't! Decision done in haste is worst of all! There are always two sides to a coin. Even Brian…Admit it, you have a weakness for him. You want him, don't you?_

_No. You have no weakness. Remember your past or have you already forgiven him for it? For a fuck? _

_Do it now! _

Rage ran rampant in Justin's veins. All his anguish, hurt he felt in the past few months pushed him forward in one single moment. His vision blurred, his hands shook with raw fierceness of his emotions. Most of all, he was drowning in the fury that despite _all this…_Brian could make lose his sanity, his dignity.

Brian's silent gasp, his suffocated, suppressed cry brought Justin from his reverie.

The sword had done its deed. It felt dirty, disloyal as it dropped on to the floor. Frozen, Justin felt-light headed as he watched blood trickling down a garish wound that spread diagonally from Brian's right nipple to his lower left side.

Please, _please_ be this a dream.

There was no victory cry. No was making sense anymore. He was supposed to feel reprieve. He should feel stronger but why did it make him more vulnerable? Instead there was more guilt, more pain, more regret.

Why did he feel like he was the one who got cut, got sliced open?

Brian's expressions puzzled Justin further. There was no anger.

Justin wanted to say something, _anything_. Yet he couldn't find the right words, no word seemed appropriate. There were no words to describe what he felt.

Brian didn't even flinch; acted like there was no blood dripping down his chest. He walked closer and pressed his finger against Justin's lips, effectively shutting him off. "Don't. Say. Anything..." He warned.

"I expected more" He added. He honestly did. Maybe he had overestimated this boy's hate for him.

Brian watched Justin through a myriad of emotions. Was this boy actually regretting his decision? Amusing indeed.

Just then they heard the door opening. It was Benjamin. He had wanted to practice sword fight with the king himself. A hobby they both secretly enjoyed. However he didn't know he was about to witness bloodshed.

"Sire!" He called, smiling at first.

When Brian turned, Ben's face turned aghast. He started running towards him.

"My goodness!" He huffed, what he saw next was Justin's guilty expression and the blood on Brian's sword. He solved the puzzle.

In a swift movement, he pulled his own sword out. He slammed Justin against the wall with the sword across Justin's neck.

"Ben!" Brian cried.

Ben turned his head, waiting for his next command. "Do you want him chained?"

Brian sighed and said softly. "Release him…"

Ben's grip loosened, his entire now turned towards his king. He asked, confused "Sire?"

"NOW!"

Ben released him reluctantly. He glowered down at him. What had happened? He had never expected this to happen. Maybe Michael had been right? Now he was the one who felt obtuse.

He had always thought that people who worked under Brian must hate him but watching Ben exhibit his hatethis openly. It raised new doubts.

"Call Cynthia" Brian ordered.

"Right away, she isn't too far from here" Ben replied. In fact, he just had a conversation with her.

"Good"

Ben jogged to the entrance and disappeared. Brian picked up his sword. He needed to get it cleaned.

Brian moved closer and Justin pressed himself harder against the wall. He sighed and asked "This _is_ what you wanted right?" Repeating Justin's question from earlier.

Justin averted his eyes to the floor. "I don't know what's wrong from right anymore. I could hardly decide what I want"

Brian caressed Justin's cheek gently. He had never seen Justin so lost before.

"Brian!" Cynthia shouted from the entrance. "What are you still doing there?"

Justin remained slouching against the wall as he watched Cynthia catch up to her brother. She threw her protective arms around him, pulling him close. Justin felt even more low when he saw Cynthia turning around to look at him, only to catch her disappointed look.

Cynthia was the only person he considered amicable and now she too was throwing him on the edge.

Justin slid against the wall towards the floor. He sat there in that empty hall with Brian's blood on the floor.

* * *

><p>Cynthia took a good look at the wound. She paused momentarily, obviously a little more than stunned. She asked suspicion still present in her voice "Justin did this?"<p>

They were both standing in the middle of Cynthia's room, amidst her supply of bandages and ointment

Brian replied calmly "I let him, I wanted him to"

"Are you out of your mind?" She accused him harshly as she threw the bloodied cloth, after cleaning it, in to the waste basket.

"Brian..." She called, pushing rebellious strands of hair behind her ear.

"Why?"

Brian peered up to look at her big eyes. He sighed and resigned quietly. "I-I honestly don't know"

Watching Brian like this made her feel she didn't know him at all. "What did he do to you?" She asked quietly.

Brian let out an exasperated breath and scowled back at her. "I'm not having this discussion with you"

He pulled the roll of bandage from Cynthia's hands and began to close the wound with it.

Cynthia rolled her eyes and sat back on the edge of her bed, judging him silently.

"You've…fallen for him" She declared, disbelief apparent in her voice. Her eyes fluttering into space, lost in deep thought.

Brian grimaced.

"Don't offend me." He stated tersely, throwing the roll across the room. Anger rising, he particularly didn't like the phrasing. "I don't 'fall' for _anyone_. It's not my duty to"

"Clever Brian"

Brian was about to leave.

She then asked casually, words slipping out her mouth before she could reel them back in. "What about Justin?"

"I need to go" Brian replied.

"How does he feel about you?"

Brian closed his eyes and turned to face his sister. He knew he had a choice of not giving her an answer but for the first time, his fears borrowed his voice. His insecurities escaping out his throat.

"Hate is a tame word, compared to what he feels for me"

* * *

><p>Justin woke up to find himself not on a hard floor but on a comfortable extremely soft bed. Then…he felt his sore ass. His eyes snapped open. He looked around, he was alone. He was relieved somewhat. The sun had just set, there was still was remaining after glow of orange filtering through the curtains.<p>

He stretched. The sheets falling around his naked waist.

On the bedside table, there was food. Plenty of food to fill three or four people and Justin was prepared to eat, _all of it. _

_Thirty minutes passed. _

Justin was filled to capacity, up to his oesophagus. He had nothing to do, so he laid back.

_Twenty minutes passed. _

Justin decided to wash himself, get clean.

_An hour passed. _

Justin was back in bed trying to sleep.

_Two hours passed. _

He couldn't sleep. Events replayed in his head. He kept staring at the door, waiting for Brian to enter. Where was he?

_Thirty minutes passed. _

Justin started to sketch.

_An hour passed. _

Justin managed to finish three sketches. Nothing was up to his standard. He gathered all his sketches next to him and lied down on the bed.

Where was Brian?

_Ten minutes passed. _

There was a creak. Footsteps. And the bed dipped finally. Justin pulled his knees closer to himself and shut his eyes harder.

Brian sat on his side of the bed, facing away from Justin. His head in his hands. It had been an agonizing meeting with his family. He looked back at the mound in his bed with a blond mop on top at the far corner.

He then got undressed. His eyes out of focus, the entire time.

He got under the duvet. Justin's warm body drew him closer until Brian's chest was in complete contact with Justin's back. Brian snaked an arm around his abdomen and pulled him back. He heard Justin's breath hitch in his throat. Brian's lips rested on the back of Justin's neck.

Brian tenderly kissed him. Once, twice and then thrice. "You're awake"

"Mm…" Justin replied, his eyes now wide open. Justin turned around, only to find his lips against Brian's.

Brian kissed those full lips tenderly.

He needed to speak with Brian about today. It plagued him like a parasitic disease. He needed to release some of his hungry vultures gnawing at him for the sparse peacefulness he was allowed to feel.

"I need to speak with you about today" Justin started.

Brian sighed hard, and fell hard back on to his pillow. It was then Justin saw the cotton cloth tied around Brian's body bandaging him. Justin grimaced.

"If you're here to apologize, I don't want to hear it" Brian snapped.

"I don't intend to. I know it was no accident, it was a deliberate reaction but…I do regret it" His hands stretched to touch the covered wound.

"I've had worse. Far worse. This is nothing" Brian clipped.

"Justin" Brian looked at him tentatively.

"You don't have to act like you care. No penalties, I promise"

"You think this is an act?"

"Don't look so offended Justin. Unless you actually care, then it would be I who'd have to be shocked"

Justin stared at him.

"I do care" The words were out before he could censor them. He cared but it wasn't anything intimate, like he would care for a hurt stray on the street…no, wait that didn't exactly feel right.

Brian's head snapped to meet Justin's.

Justin replied quickly. "A little. I care a little. I mean not too little but not too much either"

Brian's smiled at babbling Justin and it widened into a grin.

Justin's body felt lighter for some reason. He let his head hit the pillow. He flushed his face with the pillow for a second.

"Look at me"

Justin looked up from the pillow. Being with Brian, there was always this feeling…he couldn't describe it. He felt incredibly warm and protected lying next to his taller and larger frame but instead of making him calm it made his heart beat faster, like he was standing on a narrow cliff waiting to fall into something more mysterious and beautiful.

Brian let his fingers run through the back of Justin's hair. What he felt right now, it felt new. He felt content but insecure. How could just another erroneous, unpredictable, unreliable human make him feel like he was completely free, almost problem-less? He never wanted to lose Justin from this bed, from his life.

Justin inched closer and quietly whispered. "I don't understand why you let me do what I did"

Brian's smile faded quickly.

"Let's not discuss this any longer."

He didn't want to talk right now; he would sound like a fucking fool. His emotional counterpart was something that of a dusty gaol he never wanted to open.

Justin frowned. He knew there was something more and yet Brian was concluding the conversation with his lips on his neck. His hands roaming across the span of his back and ass.

Justin's eyes fluttered open when Brian's lips stood still.

He cleared his throat. His expression pained and his gaze steady "What happened this morning…when we, were you…"

Brian swallowed hard when he observed Justin's cheeks turning cherry ripe.

"Hurt?" He finished his sentence, his heart rapidly beating.

Justin moved to settle between the curve of Brian's neck. Brian felt his head moving horizontally and his lips mouthed 'no' against his lips.

Justin instantly felt Brian relax in his arms.

Brian felt extremely strange asking this question but he was glad he did.

He then kissed Justin slowly and deeply. Taking his time to savour and explore Justin's mouth. When they broke apart, Justin felt giddy. He muttered softly against Brian's lips. "Maybe, I might've judged you too harshly."

Brian suddenly stopped. He pulled back to look at Justin's face, he then asked sarcasm dripping from his voice "Why, did the devil become the saint now?"

Justin chuckled. "Hardly"

"What I had done today was nothing. It was only test to see how far you'd go. There is no hidden truth. Nothing to read between the lines. I'm no enigma. What you see, is what you should think. Nothing more"

Justin watched Brian get defensive. It was strange indeed, for someone with so many secrets to tell them they were nothing but an open book for everyone to read.

"I'd have to disagree with you" Justin stated bluntly. There were absolutely no qualms about his disagreement. And that only made him want to know more about Brian. Dare he say it, there was something sort of respect beginning to start within him _for _this man. Life was full of surprises.

Brian's heart quickened.

He bent down low and whispered but there was a hint of playfulness in his voice "Disobedience is not something I tolerate, Justin"

"You should've gotten used to it by now" Justin quipped.

He bent down until he was level with Justin's eyes. His voice was raw, husky "Be careful, or I might just fuck your rebellious mouth to quiet you down."

Justin silently gasped, his mouth opening partially. Images of Brian's cock sliding between his lips sent his muscles clenching deliciously and desire was spawning in his groin, rapidly. The prospect of having sex with Brian always left him light-headed. Brian's hand snaked around Justin's neck and tilted his head almost suddenly.

Justin's eyes dilated in both fear and desire. Second ago, Brian was playful and showed signs that he might actually _care_ for him and now suddenly glancing into Brian's darkened eyes, he saw something so intense, it was foreboding.

"On your knees and hands"

Brian's voice quivered with need.

Justin swallowed hard, Brian's dominant voice made every cell in his body alert.

He got into the position Brian had wanted. His breathed harder as Brian's hands caressed his body, first his back and then slowly up to his ass, squeezing it hard.

Brian got onto his knees and his back straight. His hard cock inches away from Justin's mouth. He watched Justin for a second or two. The longer Brian stared at the naked figure in his bed, the faster Justin's breathing rate grew.

Brian leaned down and thrust his tongue into Justin's mouth. Brian ravaged Justin's mouth making him more needier and desperate, Justin became more compliant that way.

"Close your eyes"

Justin's eyes fluttered shut. His heart hammering away in his chest and it nearly stopped when he felt something heavy and hot slap softly against his cheek. Justin's tongue peeked in anticipation, trying to moisten his upper lip.

Justin moaned when he felt a hot wet trail along his cheek to his lips. He wanted to open his eyes but he didn't know if that's what Brian wanted.

"Open your mouth, Justin" He rasped, a little impatiently.

Justin shyly opened to accommodate Brian's cock. A grunt escaped Brian's lips watching Justin's plump, soft lips around his cock.

Closing around the head, Justin started to suck slowly. There was a sort of buzzing inside Justin's head, he couldn't think. His mind was temporarily disconnected.

Brian's hands traversed into Justin's hair. His tried to be gentle as possible but Justin was greedy, sucking him hard and using his tongue as a weapon. Brian was losing control, and fast.

Justin wished he could get some sort of grip on Brian but there was none. He realised, right now that this minute Brian had all the control over him. His cock twitched and hardened at that thought. Justin's mouth watered excessively, leaking from the corner of his lips. Justin moaned loud enough that vibrations were palpable on his chest. His strangled moans pushed Brian over the edge. Justin at once, felt a sudden rush, Brian's cock scraping the back of his throat. Feeling a little uncomfortable, Justin's eyes snapped open.

Brian's hands tightened in Justin's hair, forcing Justin to look into his eyes. Watching Justin suck his cock, his blue eyes clouded with heady lust, his body compliant only for him, it made his own body thrum with iniquitous pleasure. Having control over Justin's body turned him on, at a rate that it became downright immoral. Justin felt Brian's cock grew larger in his mouth, filling him up. He closed his again, savouring this moment. This didn't stop Brian and thrusting his cock until his pubes touched Justin's nose.

Brian groaned out loud when he felt Justin's throat closing around him. Justin's eyes bore into Brian's; challenging him silently that he could take more and he wanted more. And then it started, Brian thrusting his cock into the willing mouth.

Two thrusts and…

Brian throatily gasped, his head trying to reach the ceiling "Justin"

Another thrust, his cock delving deeper than before.

Brian groaned out aloud. His hands tightening harder. Justin drank all of Brian's moans and his grunts, it made him extremely aroused. His cock jerked and leaked in response. His strangled moans reached a new fever.

One more thrust.

Justin sucked hard, his tongue in moving accordance with Brian's hips.

Once more.

Again.

_Yes_, Brian reached new heights of pleasure.

This time letting out a guttural cry and Brian was cumming hard into his throat. It took more than a minute for Brian to hit reality. Justin swallowed all of it, but he didn't judge its taste. Justin let go of Brian's cock, wanting still present in his eyes. He hadn't hit his orgasm but watching Brian release was almost as good.

Brian's eyes darkened. Justin looked fucking hot with his lips red and wet, his body still in heat. He said casually.

"Obedience suits you" He said playfully.

But he knew it was more than that. There was something different about the way Justin treated him. Instead of reluctant submission and regretful (although mind-blowing) sex, there was silent willingness and revealing of his hidden yearning to please him.

It made his heart falter.

Did Justin forgive him for how he had acted last night or was it still lodged somewhere in his subconscious that rattled him somewhat when he thought about it. There were so many questions Brian wanted answers for.

"Get up" Brian ordered, although there was no hard edge to it.

Justin slowly crawled towards the edge and stood up never breaking eye contact.

Brian bent down and kissed him deeply encircling him in his arms. Their lips parted.

"Justin"

The way he said his name broke Justin's heart. Justin gave a slight nod to urge Brian to continue.

Brian hoped he was doing the right thing. Looking into Justin's eyes, that doubt seemed to vanish.

"No more apologies, No more regrets"

Justin remained silent, not sure what Brian had meant by that.

Brian felt his mouth dry all of a sudden. His usual snarky, confident demeanour crumbling into pieces right before him.

He mentally counted to three before those three words escaped his lips.

"Let's start again"

Justin's blue eyes widened, his pupils completely dilated in the candle light. Justin only looked him up with sort of a surreal expression. Judging by Brian's expression, it looked like he worked quite hard to get those three words out of his mouth.

_Start again? _

Was this was Brian's way of telling him he wanted to erase the past? But how could he when it was clearly etched in his mind. Could he ever forgive him completely and put the past to rest? Could he…for Brian?

Justin's hesitation only made Brian sweat. For the first time, Brian felt like he was walking on shards of glass. The silence was killing Brian inside.

Justin looked into Brian's eyes and he saw something precious. There was that delicate vulnerablilty that Brian hid well. For that second...there wasn't any barrier between them and Brian was a different person.

Justin then surprised Brian and himself by smashing lips against Brian's unknowing ones. His hands threading in to Brian's hair.

Brian was taken by such a surprise that he froze for a second or two. He then resumed kissing at a carnal pace. A blinding flash of light blew in Brian's heart when he realised Justin had accepted his proposition.

Brian tightened his embrace, crushing Justin against his body. Justin did the same without breaking their kiss because no matter how close they were, it wasn't enough.

It never was enough.

* * *

><p>Justin had started to paint again.<p>

Brian's mood had started to change, in a positive life-affirming way.

The following days after their renewal of relationship had been strange. They argued far less and even if they did it held less condescension but were more frisky and playful. Justin started to smile more often which did weird things to Brian's inner sex demon.

Justin actually felt elated, like he was flying. There were no chains of guilt to pull him down. The war within him was starting to end. The past blurred with each passing day. Sometimes however, he still had lingering doubts about where they were exactly heading to or even a horrid fear that this contentedness would end soon. What would happen then?

Justin started to slowly pick up on Brian's small subtle yet heart melting antics. Like the other day, Justin wondered why there were an infinite number of dishes stretched across the table. Justin then understood that Brian's actual intention was to find out what kind of dishes he liked. He was beginning to understand Brian's peculiar way of showing that he cared.

He'd especially like it when Brian would sit there silently and watch him paint. There would be no words exchanged just the silent language of their eyes or sometimes Brian's nod of approval. Later on, it usually resulted in sex.

Brian liked watching Justin. There was something in his dexterity that left him mesmerized, especially when he was painting. He never had the pleasure since Justin refused to paint before. Maybe that said barrier was slowly vanishing. And every minute he saw the real Justin unveiling, he was falling into this endless pit, deeper and harder.

Justin started to identify Brian as a unique individual and not as a representation of all rumours he'd heard since the beginning of his stay here. He discovered Brian loved weapons of all kind. He discovered Brian made his own sword when he was eighteen. He'd always had an ambition to become independent. He learnt that Brian became frustrated even when the smallest of things seemed out of their place. He had a soft corner for Cynthia that he'd found to be interesting. He loved to drink alcohol, copious amounts of it. He had never paid close attention before to any of these details. The more he knew, the more he wanted to know.

Today Brian was in the court as usual but what was unusual was Justin's visit. Justin flashed him a smile and quietly sat. Michael had raised a brow and frowned slightly. Theodore was busily writing something down and even he stopped to watch this event unfold.

All that time, Brian sat on his throne. Unlike the king in the game of chess, Brian exercised his power immensely, never idle. He watched Brian listen tentatively, understand and ultimately judge. Michael always let his opinion know and Brian considered patiently. Men and women alike respected his decision. He did trade of all kinds. When questions were raised, Brian never faltered. The courtiers worked perfectly under the king's commands. He dictated how the money was spent and saved although he observed Theodore's heavy hand in this.

Justin had an expression of awe instilled in his face. He watched his father sometimes, but it was never this flawless, this _perfect. _So perfect…

However his impression didn't last long… It was the time where Brian issued executions. It reminded Justin the harsh reality of Brian's world he was in.

Justin cringed inside when he heard one of the prisoners would be getting a screw drilled into the back of his neck until his vertebrae severed, disconnecting his head from his body. Then most probably thrown to the dogs. Another man was punished to fifty lashes, till blood seeped from his injuries and the worst one of them was a man being sent to the rack, which cruelly tore every limb from the defenceless body. The process would unfold as follows, an executioner turned the handles to a rope that twisted their joints out of their sockets. The courtiers applauded Brian's punishments for the wrong-doers.

Justin stood up abrupt and left not wanting to know the rest of it. He felt sick. His father had never done that. Had he? He didn't think he would. He had never seen him do it. He knew they used to hang people but that was a quick, painless death. Yet here was Brian was with all his devices, torturing these men. Justin shuddered.

Brian did nothing to stop him. He felt Justin standing on this proverbial high pedestal of morality, looking down at him with condescension and that image alone made him snap in irritation. Maybe he did have a slight sadistic inclination to execute people in creative ways. He had even designed some of them; although those were from a younger version of him trying to please his father.

Michael switched glances between Brian and Justin. He watched Brian's jaw tightening. If only Justin knew how Brian's father had ruled. Back then when death had been a frequent visitor and fear was a permanent guest. His father was even famous for torturing women with pointed tools, tearing their all sorts of orifices apart. They would be dragged in for common crimes such as blasphemy. Oh, that old man especially loved women who adulterated because with them no kind of torture could be cruel enough.

Brian had changed lot of rules after he was assigned the throne. He saved the kingdom from collapse. He rebuilt the treasury. He regained the people's trust. It was hard work but Brian was never distracted.

He made himself worthy. He earned his arrogance.

"Michael" Brian called.

"Sire"

"Forget him"

Michael nodded. Brian was his idol and he always will be.

**_Meanwhile…_**

Justin decided to walk for some time since he was feeling quite dishevelled. He had to keep reminding himself that this was a side of Brian he still needed to get used to.

Justin's eyes then spotted a familiar figure quite distant, it was Brandon. He was working on something… he wasn't sure what he was doing.

Justin froze. Brandon spotted him.

He smiled at him.

Justin didn't smile back. It brought back memories.

* * *

><p>That night, Brian told his family that he'd liked to have a private dinner with Justin, alone.<p>

So dinner was set in the balcony itself. Brian wished to be closer to him which was usually quite impossible in the dining room.

The candles were lit, the food was served, the breeze was cool and the moon was full. It was a perfect night.

Justin walked in, looking exquisite. Brian's eyes never left him until he seated himself opposite to him.

"Justin"

"Brian"

They smiled at each other but Justin's smile didn't meet his eyes. It looked forced.

"Shall we begin?" Justin asked.

Brian gestured casually with his wine glass and nod of his head.

They ate in silence for some time. Justin chewed and swallowed in a pattern. Everything tasted the same tonight.

"I'll be leaving for a five day expedition, early in the morning. Nothing important, a regular tradition to see how my kingdoms are doing"

Justin nodded, not exactly registering what Brian was telling him.

Brian closely observed Justin and he knew the eruption was quite close. He wondered if it had something to do with what happened in the court today.

Justin then suddenly let go of his fork and knife. He took a quick but large gulp of wine.

Their eyes met and Brian raised a brow.

"Tell me about them" Justin asked quietly after he sufficiently calmed his nerves.

"About who?" Brian asked, continuing to eat.

"About the ones you've married before"

That was unexpected. Brian was losing his appetite, fast.

"Why do you want to know?" Came the stark question rustling Justin out of his thoughts.

Justin shrugged, rubbing his forehead "Curiosity"

Brian's lips were straight line. "Is that all?"

Under Brian's penetrating gaze, Justin wanted to shrivel up into a ball.

Justin nodded his head slowly.

"So you want to know about the men I've married?" He repeated, quietly judging the man before him.

Justin nodded cautiously.

Brian's mind flashed back to his past. His gaze going out of focus. Most of the faces were blurry. He remembered sex, their naked bodies all in bits, an ass here, a cock there but nothing much else. Nothing really significant. Conversations he had them? He tried hard. He realised he never exactly talked with them.

"Honestly I don't remember them much. Insignificant but beautiful men" Brian reminisced.

Justin's stomach churned. He imagined Brian whispering and calling them beautiful and other endearments while they were entwined, all naked. All of a sudden his stomach tried to push the food back up.

"All dead, I presume?" Justin prodded.

Brian ignored the contempt Justin's voice held or was that fear?

"Not all of them. Some I've spared" Brian said leaning back against the chair. This night wasn't going to end well.

Justin's heart rate sped. Some were spared? They were still alive and well? What were they doing now?

He asked the next question fearing the answer. "How- How did you kill them, the rest of them?"

"You should eat first"

Justin didn't want to, but the Brian's tone was severe. Not wanting to arouse the lion from its sleep, Justin hastily put some cold salad in his mouth.

Brian didn't answer until after Justin swallowed four times.

"Beheaded…"

"What?"

Brian ignored the exclamation; he knew Justin heard it well. "Some were hanged. I was lenient with them"

Justin swallowed hard. Lenient?

"Why…" Justin dragged out the syllable.

"Circumstances"

Justin didn't like that answer. He didn't like Brian's expression.

He leaned forward. "Circumstances of what kind?"

"I don't want to discuss this any further" Brian grimly concluded, the food tasted bland now for some reason.

Justin however wasn't giving up.

"Let me guess, was it boredom? Did they get too ugly for you? Not too obedient enough?" His last question ending in high pitch.

Brian leaned forwards, clenching his knife so hard that his knuckles appeared pale.

"You know nothing…" Brian gritted through his teeth.

All of a sudden, it brought back incredibly horrid memories. He remembered the days where he had been a ruthless bastard, hell he still was in a way but it was worse and fate made sure he met even more abhorring men along the way.

Justin's eyes held fire and Brian's incomplete secretive replies did nothing to extinguish them.

For quite some time, there was nothing but silence. Justin felt his eyes sting. Fear struck once again. It was beginning to become his ever constant companion. Would he die this way too? Rotting away in these very grounds without a head attached to his body?

"I'd like desert now" He told Brian.

Deserted plates were removed and dessert was brought. Justin only stared at it, hoping to find answers.

Brian didn't eat dessert so he watched Justin. He scrutinized him. The silence was unbearably uncomfortable.

Justin didn't meet Brian's gaze. He played with his food, trying to build up his courage in order to ask him the most important question. He took a deep breath and asked the most difficult question. His heart in his throat.

"Did you…did you _love_ any of them?"

Brian didn't answer right away. He watched Justin in that flickering candlelight. There was a despondent tone underneath that question. There was no doubt now. There was indeed something more than curiosity.

His eyes boring into Justin's, he answered "No. I didn't love them."

Brian noticed the brief look of relief in Justin's eyes. He frowned. What did that mean?

He continued talking, as if though it was necessary.

"I don't believe in fairy tales Justin…nor do I believe in _love_" He spat his words slowly and distastefully. Normally he would've gotten a kick out of saying his favourite line, a smirk usually but watching Justin's expression of disappointment. Instead, it irked him.

"You don't believe in love?" Justin repeated quietly, more to himself in utter disbelief.

"Love is weak, feeble, feminine emotion. It does nothing but makes you vulnerable, exposes you to unnecessary heart ache. However, it is a great excuse to get them in bed. Love is convenience. It's temporary. It's pathetic"

"And definitely can never win against a man's need for power, wealth and status." He added quickly, raising his wine glass.

Justin slammed his palms flat against the table and stood up in fluent move "That's not true!"

"Should I call that innocence or ignorance?" Brian casually asked him. Not showing how Justin's outrage affected him.

Justin only stared at him.

"Sit down" He demanded.

That tone again. Justin slowly sank back to his chair, slinking further, wanting to hide.

There was more silence until Brian broke it, shaking Justin.

"They all said they loved me" Brian told him.

Justin looked up.

"Fell on my feet, insisted I marry them. Oh yes, they told me great many things Justin"

"Three months? Maybe five? After that they change. They decide they want more. Always more…it would never be enough. And that would be the beginning of their end"

"However, I don't want to wrong the betrothed. They were some who were sickeningly mellow that got tedious as time went by. Simply incompatible to my lifestyle. Those men I did spare."

He had never seen them again. He never wished to.

Justin nodded slowly. He wanted to know one thing. Was he different from these men?

So he asked, risking his dignity. His voice trembled in the beginning "So if you see someone else better, would you replace me?"

Brian needed a moment to answer this. He hardly doubted he would find something better than Justin. But in this hypothetical situation, according to his principles…well he should.

Brian answered, waveringly. "Maybe"

Justin visibly flinched. He was stunned to make any visible comment.

Brian moved forward until he was eye-to-eye. "Why, would _you_ do something different?" He asked. Brian knew Justin would run the second, he would find someone stronger, kinder, more expressive, someone who believed in love…

When Justin didn't respond, Brian concluded it himself "I thought so"

Justin slowly stood up. His world reeling all around him.

Would he?

He leaned over the ledge. He tried distracting himself.

He felt Brian's hands sliding across his waist. For once his cock wasn't prodding him in the ass.

"Justin"

"My past is dark and complicated. I don't expect you to understand"

Justin let out a derisive laugh. "There isn't much to understand. You used and you killed" Justin stated as matter of fact.

Brian's expression became grim. He turned Justin around to face him.

"Go ahead judge me, tell yourself you're better a person than I could ever be. I know you already do."

"But before you do, ask yourself if you could spare a man that wanted nothing but your death. Those men I've married bought their own graves, Justin"

Brian was exceptionally wealthy and powerful. There were thousands of men who wanted nothing but be the man himself. To be able to have the hand that if its fingers snapped, not hundreds, nor thousands but tens of thousands of men and women alike would bow down to him. Men who dreamt of owning acres of land, architecture, not to mention control men like puppets. It would only be a dream come true.

"I doubt that" Justin retorted.

Brian laughed. The night had become darker. "You are naïve Justin. You don't know what ambition can drive a person to do, especially for power"

"My rules might sound cruel, heartless perhaps but they are fair"

Brian expression turned serious. "And I don't intend to change, not for some golden blond boy who believes in love and happily-ever after endings"

"So what if I do?" Justin asked him.

Brian moved a step back. An unexpected reply.

"You think you're magnificent, you're better than everyone else because you've hardened your heart? You can't feel pain, is that it? Maybe pain isn't the only emotion you can't feel."

Brian stared at him. How was Justin able to break him over and over again.

Justin stepped up. He felt taller than Brian this second. "I wonder Brian. I really do, how do you know you're even alive?"

If Brian's heart was a gong, it would've clanged so loud the entire palace would've been wide awake.

"You're alone Brian. That's the truth. And you have a great way of covering it up." Justin concluded. He wasn't going to allow Brian to be led in the wrong direction anymore.

Brian looked uncomfortable. His philosophy was never questioned this bluntly. It was massacred.

Justin felt his blood rising, as he ended with his last blow "I hope you intend to let me go or _spare _me to call it in your own terms"

"Why is that?" Brian asked, his throat drying out. His voice was sounded weak and he hated it.

"Because…we'll never last." Justin told him frankly.

"We define incompatible Brian"

Brian for the first time was lost for words. This week what they had shared, it was all a dream was it? He couldn't think of a response. He wasn't angry. He felt numb with pain.

"Should I clear the plates, Sire?"

Brian and Justin both turned to the man who clearly had no idea what he was disturbing.

Brian dismissed the man with his arms. "And a message from your sister, your majesty" he added, bringing him a note.

"She'd like to meet you as soon as possible"

Brian glanced at Justin who had turned his back to him and was staring out the balcony.

"Tell her to meet me in my study."

"Right now Sir?" He asked looking nervously at Justin.

He looked at Justin's back. "Right now. The conversation has ended here, anyway"

* * *

><p>"There has been an intruder" Cynthia blurted, the second she entered in to the study.<p>

There was no answer from her brother. He was staring off into space, leaning his back against his wooden desk.

"Brian…?"

Brian's head snapped up to meet Cynthia's puzzled expression. He scowled mentally.

He looked worried and tense. "Are you all right?" She asked concerned.

"I'm fine" He barked back. "What did you want to talk about?" He asked irritated.

"Intruder, in my room" She repeated, exasperated.

Brian raised a brow. "An intruder and no one had noticed?"

"The signs are subtle."

She continued after a pause "I know this may sound strange but my room feels like it's been searched."

Brian asked "Anything stolen?"

"Matter of fact, yes. My tonic cabinet's lock disappeared and there are a few bottles missing"

Brian's forehead scrunched in serious thought.

Cynthia offered an explanation. "Do you think someone who's desperately sick might have stolen them? Trying to find their own cure, maybe?"

That sounded far-fetched to her own ears.

Brian shook his head. "That'd be wishful thinking"

Cynthia frowned. She had a feeling that history was repeating yet again.

"Let them search the entire palace. Give them a ridiculously large reward to whoever finds it"

* * *

><p>Morning came, signalling Brian's departure.<p>

Justin ate breakfast in silence, since the entire table decided to ignore him. In their eyes, he was invisible. Despite their disagreements yesterday night, he missed Brian's overbearing presence. Without Brian, he felt even more alone around this palace.

He wondered briefly, how Brian would've been if he was a sensitive, romantic man who brought him roses and showered him with words of love, would that be his perfect match? Is there anything as such?

However Justin didn't regret what he said. It was the truth. Nothing could change that.

After breakfast, Justin decided to do paint. Out in the garden, the sun shone brilliant. Justin was briefly distracted from all the drama. He sat down on the cool grass, still a little wet from the morning's chillness. The canvas lay bare before him showing him endless possibilities.

Before he decided what he really wanted to do. His hands were already outlining the bane of his existence, his sickening obsession.

A voice suddenly emerged, seemingly out of nowhere, cut Justin's thoughts like a knife.

"Not him _again_"

He identified it almost immediately. It was Brandon's.

A frown started to appear on Justin's already distraught face. He turned towards the man, his brows jumping up a notch on his face.

Brandon was wearing nothing but a pair of tight-fitting thin cotton pants, black-coloured. Beads of sweat cascaded down from his forehead down to his chest. His hair was glistening with sweat.

Once he got Justin's attention, he quickly rasped "I've got something important to say"

He was holding an axe and was carrying firewood. That explained the sweat. He'd guessed he was taking them to the kitchen.

"I have to go Brandon. Another time possibly"

Brandon's tone sounded serious but Justin didn't wish to continue this conversation. It never ended in good terms. He got up and started to brush the dirt off.

"Prince!"

Justin didn't turn back…

Brandon gritted his teeth, sucked in a short breath and yelled.

"You're getting EXECUTED!"

Justin stopped in his tracks.

_What?_

Brandon walked closer to the frozen young blond. He cautiously placed his hand on Justin's shoulder, feeling no resistance, he squeezed lightly.

"I'm sorry...Prince."

He added quickly, further antagonizing the wound "It would be held once the Brian would be back from his expedition"

Justin looked up for the first time, hearing Brian's name pulled him out of his first stage of shock.

Brandon stared into those eyes. _God, _those _eyes_. They held so much pain. They were completely translucent. It was hitting him in waves. Was he really in _love _with that bastard?

Justin wanted to know how was this information leaked. "Ho..."

Brandon cut him off. He knew exactly what Justin was going to ask.

"I have my ways...the walls are thinner than you imagine"

Justin wasn't slow but the news was extremely unsettling and it took a few seconds for the words to settle in, to sink in...

"This-This can't be true…" He squeaked. Brian wanted to start again? Didn't he? That night they had kissed and... It was getting hard to breathe all of a sudden.

Brandon continued, his voice dropping lower. He glanced to see if anyone was watching them. It was a secluded area, so there were none at this time of the day. He exhaled in relief.

He gazed into the bleeding blue eyes and taunted him "It can't be _true_? Are you_ really_ surprised?"

"Tell me Justin" He asked.

Justin's eyes looked up for the first time into Brandon's eyes. Everything he said was making perfect sense and it scared him.

"Did you think Brian would keep you forever especially after everything that you did?"

Justin blinked. _Everything I did?_

Justin felt sick about last night. Had he stepped over the boundary? Was that the final blow that landed him straight under the blade? When the pieces of the puzzle were fitting, then it started…

_The Panic_

Brian... He wanted him _dead_.

After all, wasn't he expecting to hear this word since the beginning of his time in this palace?

But then why did he feel _betrayed? Deceived? _

His heart was aching with a pain like no other. Like someone had pushed in with their bare hands into his frail chest and was squeezing his bleeding heart tight. Not squeezing, pulling it, tearing it apart.

"The members of the Kinney family aren't too keen on letting you live, especially after those several performances"

Justin swallowed hard. It made sense to why they were incredibly hostile. He had embarrassed the king. He had harmed him physically and…

A short burst of pain clouded his senses, momentarily losing himself in the darkness.

Brandon continued to talk, continued to torment Justin. "However, that wasn't the lone reason..."

He then stopped talking, building the suspense.

Justin trembled as he demanded "No reason to hold back now, is it?"

Brandon nodded humbly. "The day you've first talked to me was the day he had slashed me open. I still have the scar"

He then showed Justin, a black line across his chest.

"I don't understand"

Brandon sighed and continued "Remember the very first time you've talked to me. He watched us then. It was the very day he had thought that we both…" Brandon coughed nervously. "Well you know… After you left, he made me confess with his sword under my neck. I had to beg him and tell him that nothing had happened between us"

"What" Justin uttered the word quietly in complete utter shock. Now, _now_ he was beginning to sweat. That night, he remembered Brian telling him to stay away from Brandon…that…_god,_ that was the very same day where they had sex for the first time.

So Brian fucked him the first time for what? To punish him for his deed? What? Did Brian really believe that he'd sleep with whoever he would come across? It made his skin crawl with the fact that Brian was watching him behind the bushes.

Brandon watched a range of emotions spread across Justin's face, the last of his expressions was of disgust.

Justin told him abruptly "I need to go"

He felt like a fucking fool. How dare he think that it was possible for Brian to change for him? _For him? _

Brandon stopped Justin by pulling him by his hand "Justin, wait! Take this"

"What?" Justin fumbled with his words as Brandon slipped him a small tiny bottle with clear fluid.

"It can kill" Brandon whispered secretively. Once again checking the surroundings.

Brandon wanted him to kill Brian. Justin's heart raced faster. No!

Justin spluttered and stammered. "Brandon, no. I-I can't take this"

Brandon unclasped and clasped Justin's fingers around the bottle. He covered Justin's hands with his own.

Brandon's eyes bored into the scared ones, his saw the vulnerability. "Don't turn into one of _them_, Prince"

Justin knew what he was referring to. It made his blood cold.

Brandon pulled the axe over his shoulder and walked way, carrying the firewood. He never looked back. He didn't need to.


	10. Malice In The Mind

**_Sorry for the really slow updates and a Special Thank You to Katrin for all the motivation!_**

**_And also for all those readers who still like this story, thank you for your patience! _**

* * *

><p>What now?<p>

Justin couldn't breathe and his chest constricted with unbearable tightness. His thinking was becoming obscure as time ticked by.

Brandon had laid the most explosive news on his head. An execution?

He had played with death in the beginning by defying everyone without a single care in the world but now standing so close to it made him restless and uneasy. Part of him was constantly telling him that this wasn't, couldn't be true.

He clutched at his clothes, almost fearing that if he didn't his heart might just fly out. He needed to use his head right now, not his exploding heart.

He slowly thought about what Brandon had said, analysing each heavy word in his head.

Brian's family wanting him dead seemed plausible. Cynthia was the only one who showed some sort of interest towards him, the rest, well never really cared. They hadn't put much effort in learning to know him nor did Justin care about them. They were in complete agreement, or so he thought.

But what about the rest of Brandon's story about Brian spying on him? Could that be true?

Justin's shoulders slumped dejectedly. His rational side leaned towards it being true. He was a very powerful king, he probably never trusted anyone. For the first time he wished he had the power to doubt but there seemed a very slight margin of error for this entire ordeal to be false.

Brian fucked him, more than what could be considered appropriate or reasonable but he had never said a word that was in the least convincing that he had truly liked him or even wanted him outside the domain of their bedroom. Could it be that he had gotten bored with him? He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Everything felt cold, draining his remaining warmth into a dark pit.

The bottle of poison lay cold against the thin fabric of his pocket and strangely enough, it felt heavy. Brandon expected him to use it. He only saw that it was just. What's wrong to kill a man who would kill you? He had asked. It was fair question but…that equation had flaws, somehow…

Brian may seem cold-hearted and conceited but clearly over these few months Justin had been exposed to something more substantial underneath. Was all that an illusion to ease and rationalize his guilty conscience that started to develop a craving for their mind-blowing sex? Justin blushed at that thought.

Could he really poison Brian and watch him choke to his death? Could he act nonchalant about it all? Could freedom be achieved by causing death of another?

It would be almost a week before Brian would come back from his travels. A week to live. A week to invest on how to survive_. _

* * *

><p><strong><em>THREE DAYS LATER, AFTER MIDNIGHT<em>**

Justin slept late that night, playing with the bottle of poison with his hand. He placed it inside one of the drawers beside him and soon fell asleep.

It was the time of the night when everything was perfectly still and everything was pitch black.

That was the very time Justin had woken up and when he did, it was sudden like lightning. His heart thumped hard against his chest, tears tore from his eyes. In that moment his body stood in the no-man's land between reality and a dream, his head however was still living inside his contorted version of reality. Justin's hands tried to feel for another body beside him. There was none. His heart dropped with a resounding thud.

His inner fears had been awoken by his subconscious and it played like a well-versed horror drama in his head. He hastily wiped the wetness from his cheeks. For a few seconds, he blinked at the darkness around him finding it only increased his anxiety. He then slowly reclined back into his bed and curled up.

Fear from the pit of his stomach had burned his insides and he desperately tried to distract himself but the images stilled right before his eyes. Haunting him even in the wake of reality…It was Brian's lifeless body and his blood soaked the bed and more. Some spilled drop by drop onto the floor below making a large thick puddle on the floor. It almost looked black. What terrified him the most were Brian's eyes. They didn't blink, they only stared at him.

When Justin tried touching him, he pulled back his hand almost immediately. It was icy cold and bony rigid to touch. Justin was mortified.

All of a sudden, the door crashed open and Justin jumped a mile back, hitting his head back against the headboard.

"Justin!" The man yelled.

Justin squinted his eyes. He couldn't see who it was. It was too bright at first but then the image became clearer. The dark blond hair, the bare chest with the scar. It was Brandon. Relief washed over him. A friend! Brandon cared for him right? He said he wanted to look out for him.

"Brandon! Its…" Before he could say anything significant, Brandon burst with excitement.

"You've killed him! You've killed the King!" He yelled and he cheered.

"I didn't…!" Justin yelled back feverishly.

Brandon wasn't listening. Justin deduced he had gone mad. But when he looked down, he immediately understood why Brandon had cut short so quickly to that conclusion. When did that happen? His hands were covered with blood. He frowned.

He examined them for what seemed hours, just his hands in blood…_Brian's blood. "_I don't understand" Justin muttered to himself.

Justin moved closer to the corpse. He stared right into Brian's eyes. He felt an ache, he had never experienced. It didn't cause pain but something far worse than he could possibly imagine. It petrified him till the very core of his soul. Justin moved closer and hid his face in the crook of Brian's neck. He kissed his cold skin. "Wake up Brian, please…" He whispered painfully.

"Please…"

Justin's bloody hands smothered Brian's face, covering him in red. Tears started to fall and Justin made sure his face was well hidden. He didn't want Brian to think he was weak, did he?

"Brian…" He spoke softly. With his bloody hands he tried to hold Brian's face to make him look, to persuade him to say something but there was nothing.

_Nothing_

A feeling of helplessness overwhelmed him completely.

And then Justin had woken up.

He'd never felt more alone and scared in his life before. Not even when he was sent here by force, not even when Brian treated him like he was something to be used. No, nothing even came close…watching Brian's lifeless shook him to his deepest core.

Justin's eyes opened wide. He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep. He lit the candle beside him and pulled the bedside drawer open. He looked at the tiny bottle lying horizontally in its place. It looked _so _innocent and sturdy sitting there while Justin felt completely the opposite.

He was in a very strange position, in four days he would become the meat for scavengers and here he was crying for Brian's dreamt death. God, there were no boundaries for his ability to be pathetic.

However asinine it sounded to the third ear, he missed Brian. Right now, right here in this bed. He wished he could talk to Brian. Tell him everything…

Justin then shook his head. That would only make matters worse. Honestly, what were the chances of this becoming a lie? Maybe he'd smirk and say that he'd be glad he needn't be the bearer of bad news this time. Justin frowned unconsciously.

Another thing that bothered him was the fact that Brian had completely forgotten about the fact that he'd promised him that he'd take him to see his family. Now he was on an expedition on his own while he was left here alone without a second thought.

He wondered what Brian was doing, right now this time. Was he fast asleep or was he wide awake, like him? Did he have some other toy at his disposal to cure this particular lonely night? An image burned in his head and a surge of heated jealousy coursed through his body and his face flushed to his body's intense reaction.

His body thoroughly confused his mind. Frankly, it embarrassed him.

Justin slowly twirled the bottle in his hand. He still had a decision to make.

Why was it so hard, when the reason was so strong? It was true he had become mentally ill, this would be a proof. He wanted to protect the very person that had set out to destroy him from the very beginning.

Still…He wouldn't…He couldn't.

Justin's fingers clenched and unclenched. Who was he fooling? He thought sadly. He realized that he had made a decision the second Brandon had slipped him the poison. He could never do it. Justin had agonized for days and had come to the same conclusion once again.

Resignation first, and anger second filled his mind. His heart ached, his stomach tightening. He whispered to empty space next to him "I really _hate_you Brian Kinney, _hate _you so much"

The light suddenly vanished and blackness erupted silently.

The candle had burnt till the end.

Justin sighed noisily. He threw the bottle back and blocked it out of his view. He would dispose that quietly, later mostly. It wasn't one of his priorities. He wondered what Brandon would say if he knew he had rejected his plan.

Justin lay awake, far into the morning. His body weary but his mind was reluctant to sleep, constantly thinking, every minute seemed to count when he knew his end was close.

The sun wasn't quite bright but Justin jumped off the bed, tapping from an energy source he never knew he had.

So Brian wanted him out of his life?

Then he would grant Brian's wish…_all_ _by himself_.

* * *

><p><strong><em>MEANWHILE...<em>**

"I can't _believe_ we're going back, Sire" Michael exclaimed. They had started their journey back a night ago and it was preposterous. No longer was he able to understand Brian.

Brian ignored him, his eyes out of focused and yawned ungraciously. He didn't get enough sleep last night.

"Tell me once again Sire, this reason you've stated before that made no sense to me the other night"

Brian all of a sudden declared that they were leaving. He had made him cancel all the dinners they were supposed to attend. When he demanded to know why they left, Brian replied cryptically that he had forgotten something. When he asked what exactly it was he had forgotten, Brian didn't utter a word.

"Michael, calm yourself. You're tiring your little head." Brian replied bored.

Michael continued to whine none the less.

Brian closed his eyes. Images of a certain blond appeared in his head. He had originally planned to bring Justin with him but after their little but emotionally off-putting tiff last night about his past, he felt uncomfortable being around Justin knowing those beautiful eyes watched him with undisguised disgust. He couldn't stand it. He wasn't exactly proud of what he had done but it _had _to be done. He wished Justin would understand that someday and he was willing to wait however long it would take for him to come to terms with his past.

Soon after they had reached the first town of Mayvale to sport a drink and catch some rest. He quickly regretted his decision to leave the boy back at the palace. Especially when he found himself searching for the blond unconsciously. More than once.

A surge of excitement rushed through his body in anticipation of seeing his boy again. _His _Justin…This scorching anticipation was breathtakingly new and he embraced it with every fibre of his being. Usually his consorts used to be one of his least priorities, that was indeed changing.

Thinking about Justin was awakening parts of his body and he groaned silently when he felt the blood pooling to his groin.

* * *

><p><strong><em>BACK AT THE PALACE, AN HOUR LATER<em>**

Theodore was surprised to find Justin in his study, sitting in a chair opposite his unoccupied desk. He was spinning a glass paper weight round and round against the sturdy wooden table.

The sound of the rolling glass in the tense silence of the room made the back of his hair stand up.

"Prince, what are you doing here?"

His voice had startled Justin and the glass in Justin's hand slipped and skid across the desk and bounced off noiselessly as it fell to the rug below. He turned around to look at Theodore.

Justin averted his eyes from Theodore's sharp gaze. He stood up slowly and walked towards the man.

"I want some letters posted" Justin told him.

Theodore raised his eyebrows in question but immediately nodded his head. "Very well Prince, you know the procedure. You can drop those by my study. They'll be sent once the king is back."

At first, he didn't understand why it mattered that Justin would have the need to inform him, then he realised that Brian was on an expedition and it was only natural that Justin would come to him. Every month Justin would write letters to his family which would then be cross-checked by Brian himself and later sealed with the royal stamp before it would be sent.

Justin moved a step closer and instantly he could visibly feel Theodore's fear as his body turned rigid immediately.

"Is there something else you want?" He almost whispered because the nearness was making queasy as hell.

"I want them sent right _now_"

Theodore stepped back, he let out a breath he had no idea he held till now. The prince's eyes were densely intense. He couldn't look away.

His voice wavered slightly when he spoke and unconsciously he was taking steps away, slower and further away. "Prince, I'm afraid I can't do that. I can't send them unless Brian approves. Let me remind you, my loyalty is to the king"

Justin didn't flinch; in fact there was no visible change in expression. He wore a face of pure determination and that perturbed Theodore.

"I don't understand Theodore. Am I not trustworthy enough? One letter to a friend? Is that so bad?" Justin asked.

Justin sighed softly. "I just...please...I _need_ to do this Theodore."

Theodore felt his heart deluge in massive guilt when he heard his soft desperate plea. He knew he always had a soft corner for Justin. He was just so innocent. He couldn't find it in his heart to say no. He knew how difficult it was to tolerate Brian, maybe this time he could…just for once. The boy wanted to open his heart to someone without Brian prying on him. It seemed quite fair and harmless.

Yet, there was something about this whole scenario which made him uncomfortable. He sucked in a long breath and told him firmly.

"To whom do you intend to send the letter?"

"Ah…A friend"

Theodore quickly surmised it must have been a male friend. Maybe more than a 'friend'? He wondered silently. He knew the consorts weren't allowed to participate in conversations that involved other men excluding those of familial nature. "On one condition then...I'll send the letter only after I approve of it."

Justin inhaled sharply. Trying hard not to show annoyance. He tried to reply as calmly as possible.

"There's no need Theodore. You see I'm only writing to find out his well-being. Nothing more than that! Brian wouldn't be able to understand that. He'd come to devious conclusions. You of all people can understand that, can't you?"

Theodore nodded but his head was clearly somewhere else.

"I will never ask anything else from you, Theodore. I'm only worried for him, that's all" Justin besieged him with further guilt.

"Well okay…" Theodore agreed reluctantly in the end. It probably was harmless but Brian would see it as something far worse. He knew how possessive Brian could get.

Justin all of a sudden, extended his hand. Sighing in relief. "Thank you Theodore" He smiled warmly.

Theodore hesitated at first but slowly met his hand half way. _What have I just done? _ Suddenly the guilt flaming inside his head made him feel intoxicated.

Justin observed Theodore's superficial smile trying its very hard to spread across his face.

He almost felt sorry for putting Theodore through this.

* * *

><p>With shaking hands, Theodore quickly opened Brian's study.<p>

"Quickly Prince, get in..."

"Once you're done. You can issue the king's royal stamp. It's located in the top right drawer. Here's the key for it." He searched his pockets for a tiny little key. Once he placed it in Justin's hand, he continued his instructions. "You then, place it along with his other letters. He places them in a letter tray beside his desk, you wouldn't miss it. It would be well camouflaged then and I'll send yours along with them"

Justin nodded courtly in response and flashed a smile to once again acknowledge his help.

"Good news, the King's on an expedition..." He said, more to himself than to Justin and closed the door behind him with a resounding thud.

Justin faced away from the door, his eyes slowly scanning the room. He took in every inch of the grand walls decorated with paintings. Everything was in scrutinizing order. Brian's scent was blatant as the morning sun making his senses burn with excitement. He could feel him in every inch of this grand space. He was everywhere embracing him tightly but at the same time his presence was a screeching absence.

Justin tilted his head upwards to observe the paintings closely. Were they gifted? He wondered since the art in each painting seemed slightly different from one and another, a unique signature from each artist seemed to be subtly woven in. But he could be wrong, it could be very much in reason if Brian had these done in desire from his narcissist within. Justin quickly observed, in every one of them Brian was pictured glorious, magnificent a stride with his sword and blood that illuminated on his wounds. They were all brutal but impressive at the same time.

At the farther end, there were a few more paintings lined up against the wall. They were covered with a silken blanket. Justin suppressed the curiosity for the time being.

He viewed the rows of shelves of books with amusement kept aside to his farther right. Brian had time to read? And in the centre was the grand desk.

Justin's fingers moved deftly across the edge of the desk, his eyes searching.

On the desk were sheets of paper stacked in one end of the corner, a feathered ink pen sat idly next to its pool of blue. Justin settled into the comfortable arm chair and felt quite small in it. He couldn't help but feel powerful, feel like Brian. Thinking about it sent shivers down Justin's body. He imagined how it must be, to have anything and anyone to control and play as he liked. The sense of power was indeed overwhelming. It was kind of intoxicating. He could understand why people fought for it, _died_ for it.

Justin quietly shook those thoughts of away. He quickly grabbed a piece of paper, slid the pen into his hands without much proper thought to what he was _actually _going to write.

The first person that came to his mind was his father. That was obviously the valid choice.

The ink began to soak through the paper.

_Dear Father..._

_I need your help to escape from this place. I'm no more welcome in these grounds…_

Justin stopped, for two reasons mainly…

The first one being; he sounded well beyond pathetic. What could his father possibly do? He would panic, he knew that for _sure_. He could never coordinate his emotions properly; he'd act in panic and maybe even confront Brian in hurried attempt to first know the well-being of his son. His confrontation would be an absolute disaster and his father might even join him in the ride to hell. This letter would kill his father before he was killed.

Justin crushed the paper in his hands and started once more. He paused for a few seconds, the nib hanging dangerously close to the paper, a few drops of ink spluttering on to the paper in impatience.

He took in a large amount of air into his lungs and pushed the nib onto the paper.

_Dear Chris…_

_I need your help._

_Wait for me at the Winston's Woods near the palace's boundaries. I'll meet you when the sun hits the horizon, in exactly two days from now._

_Don't ask why. Don't tell anyone. In fact, consider this as an order. Bring necessary supplies and together we will escape._

_I look forward for our meeting. Do not disappoint me and be careful, the men in this kingdom are strongly loyal to their leader._

_Love, Justin_

Justin read and reread it again, that should be enough.

Justin reached for the stamping equipment in the top right drawer. There was a small tray of red clay-like substance and small stamping instrument. He pulled an envelope, enclosed the paper and sealed it shut with the stamp. The seal had the symbol of a dashing sword and letters that could be hardly read that spelt 'Kinney'. On the back of the envelope, he scribbled the name of his own kingdom and scrawled Chris's name in fine, small font.

Beside the desk was a small wooden box where Brian had placed letters that needed to be sent. There were three of them left. Justin surmised that those letters are the ones Theodore would send along with his.

He placed it neatly under the three letters. Hoping dearly that it would be sent without Brian's notice.

This was it! There was no going back now.

Unexpectedly in the matter of blinking second, the door sprung with Theodore gesturing wildly with his arms.

_What the fuck…_

* * *

><p><strong>(ELEVEN MINUTES AGO) THEODORE'S FLASHBACK<strong>

Theodore heavy with guilt walked back to his study, murmuring cuss words at himself for being such a fool. He sat at his desk with big thump.

He ran his fingers through his hair impatiently when his ears suddenly perked and he was startled by an unusual welcoming musical tune, followed by rattle created by moving horses and turning wheels.

"It couldn't be..." He whispered to himself. "No, it couldn't" He denied.

Theodore quickly rushed out of his room and walked towards the entrance of the palace. The closer he moved towards it, the more his liquid vacillating assumptions begin to solidify at an alarming rate. Obstructing his brain to function properly.

The king was back.

Brian was back.

Theodore knew his heart had exploded inside because he stood there frozen in that very spot like a statue with his eyes wide open.

There was only one thing that was running in his mind besides the fact that part of him was screaming in frenzied terror.

_Justin_ was in Brian's study.

Justin was in _BRIAN'S _study who was writing a mysterious letter to god knows who and Christ, what was he planning on writing in that letter again?

Theodore started berating himself, throwing profanities at himself like a mad man. He knew he shouldn't have fallen for his heart-melting pleas and those blue eyes. What was he thinking?

And before he could act, he saw Brian coming inside ushering everyone to disappear.

He wasn't in a good mood. It was etched on his face. _Excellent..._Just what he needed!

"Sire..." Theodore started to greet the irate king. He prayed silently, a mantra repeating in his head. _Please, not the study...not the study. Not the study…please, please…_

"Unlock my study. I have work to do"

"Ah.." He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Theodore almost fainted, _almost_. He was already sweating like a man who had run barefoot around the world with no rest stop.

_Justin, Justin, Justin. _One name rang in Theodore's head in shrilling volumes.

"Is something wrong?" Brian asked, his eyebrow rose when his treasurer's face drained more blood. He looked sickly insipid.

Brian stood there waiting for him to reply.

"Oh no, of course not!" Theodore laughed quickly to cover up his previous emotional slip.

Brian tightened his lips, obviously a little suspicious. He said simply "Then go…"

Theodore walked, his king at his heels.

This was it.

This was going to be last minute before he would be faced with his death. Christ, he would be known as a traitor for the rest of his life.

Another minute till he reached the study. He could almost picture of what was about to come, like some sort of sick nightmare that he couldn't wake up from.

He would open the door and then Brian would see Justin. It would then lead to more panicking and in the end the finger would be pointed at him. Indeed, a beautiful story.

He knew the door was already unlocked but he pretended to insert the key, hoping and praying that Justin on the inside would somehow know that Brian was here and he would hide behind a shelf or two.

"Brian!"

Theodore turned his head. It was Cynthia.

_Thank God, Thank Cynthia!_

He partially opened the door, his body half way in before he started to gesture wildly.

He hoped with his life that Justin had understood him.

* * *

><p><strong><em>PRESENT TIME- BRIAN'S POV- OUTSIDE BRIAN'S STUDY <em>**

"Cynthia, a reason for your rush?" Brian asked.

"We searched _everywhere _Brian" Cynthia grimaced. She hoped that she'd be able to find the thief.

It was about the missing bottle from her room that had been stolen the other night.

"Everywhere?" Brian prodded, sceptical that his sister had actually searched_everything_.

Cynthia cautiously nodded her head before she answered, lowering her voice.

"Except your bedroom" She mumbled while she shifted her feet and stared at them.

Brian's heart dropped and his face fell but he recomposed quickly "There's no reason to spare that room, is there?"

Cynthia nodded unsurely.

They both knew exactly what that meant, if they would find that bottle in Brian's room. It would directly point to Justin as the culprit. No doubt about that. Brian reassured himself that scenario will never happen.

* * *

><p><strong><em>INSIDE THE STUDY (PRESENT TIME) JUSTIN'S POV<em>**

While Brian and Cynthia were engaged in their conversation, Theodore was on a mission.

He opened the door and began to quickly but violently gesture to warn Justin.

Justin picked up the signals fast. He looked up and figured out on what was happening in seconds. He immediately understood and it wasn't because of Theodore's gestures but Brian's voice.

Brian was HERE, right outside. He could identify that voice anywhere. Panic spread through him like a flash flood. He cursed under his breath.

His mind blind with fear, he hurriedly slid the stamping equipment into one of the drawers. His hands trembled violently the entire time.

Justin obviously couldn't get out, so he quickly searched for a hiding spot. His eyes darting to and fro around the room. When he felt the conversation dying out, he immediately slid behind the last bookshelf where it was conveniently dark. From that vantage point the only images he could see were the books lying in the shelf opposite to him but if he would scamper towards the edge, it was possible to see the entire room in a glance.

* * *

><p>The minute Brian stepped into the room, he knew something wasn't right. The whole feel of the room seemed <em>disturbed.<em> It all started when he observed that his chair hadn't been pushed in. That really wasn't enough to stir his bones but when he moved closer to the desk, that's when he realised his suspicions weren't exactly imaginary. He crushed his brows together in confusion and slowly picked up the feathered pen, it was soaking wet with ink. Furthermore there were few drops of ink on the desk. He dried and cleaned the pen using a cloth and set it back in its place.

Brian turned towards Theodore who was fidgeting with his fingers. _What was making Theodore nervous? _He wondered.

Leaning back casually against the edge of the desk, eyes narrowed he asked coldly. "So…"

"Who"

"Was"

"Here?" He enunciated each word slowly. Every word falling of his lips like a slick dagger striking both Justin and Theodore alike.

Theodore's heart started ramming against his chest. Droplets of sweat were forming on his forehead. He dabbed his head with his sleeve.

"I...I don't understand, Sire" He said quickly with a strained smile.

Brian looked at him, eyebrow raised. Never had he seen Theodore act this strange before.

"What part of my question could you possibly not understand, Theodore?" Brian barked, moving from amusement to annoyance.

Brian observed Theodore rubbing his palms up and down his cloth-covered thigh.

"Someone was obviously here, who was it?" Brian crossed his arms against his chest.

Justin shut his eyes hard. If Theodore spilled the truth, he was a dead man. The place in shelf's corner was suffocating him. His heart was no longer beating; it was vibrating with a shrill cry. He desperately hoped and hoped that Theodore wouldn't admit the truth.

"Oh" Theodore coughed suddenly. "I remember now. I'm not feeling myself today, Sire. It was only me Sire, I had an urgent letter to send to my…my uh-mother and I gained access to your room for the royal seal."

"Mother?" Brian asked cutting him off.

"Ah yes Sire, she isn't feeling too well" Theodore added nervously.

"You must be worried as hell, you are acting quite strange" He commented, scrutinizing Theodore with his eyes.

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. It made sense, sort of...it wasn't the first time this happened where Theodore accessed his room for a quick emergency. He glanced at his desk. He frowned at the drops of ink scattered across the desk and the unclosed ink bottle. Leaving it untidy, this wasn't exactly a characteristic feature of Theodore. He was usually immaculate. And since when did Theodore sit in his chair? The story felt somewhat incomplete but he decided to let it go. He trusted Theodore, if there was something he needed to tell him, he would.

Whatever it was he was willing to put it on the back burner. Frankly he just wanted to be alone now, not solve the mystery of who used his bloody ink. Maybe Theodore was in a hurry of some sort. Yes, that must be it.

"You could spare a few days and visit your Mother." Brian suggested, hoping maybe it would ease his anxiety.

"Yes, of course. Thank you Sire"

"Shall I take my leave?" Theodore asked.

Brian nodded. He noticed Theodore nervously glancing at the back of his room before turning away and disappearing.

Brian was definitely going to dig a little deeper.

Justin relaxed temporarily, glad that Theodore hadn't spilled the beans but he had made such a poor excuse. Justin momentarily wondered if it would work.

Justin felt his body simmering with heat yet he was shivering. Fear was consuming him. He wrapped his knees closer to support his head, clenching his body tightly. He felt so weak and scared. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if Brian saw him and knew what he'd done. He swallowed hard. He would tear him apart piece by piece this time. There would be no pity.

He wondered quietly to why Brian had returned from his trip earlier than expected. What could be the reason?

Justin shifted to edge and peered into the light. His heart rate tripled.

There he was – Brian Kinney in all his glory. He stood still for a moment and then walked over where the paintings under the silken blankets lay. In one fluid movement, he pulled the blanket off and he stared at the painting before him.

Justin had no idea what it was, he couldn't see from that vantage point.

It was strange watching Brian this way. Brian always seemed to know what to do, the one in control, the one who could say the right words at the right time but now as he watched him, it felt different. It made him somehow more human.

Justin wondered what those paintings could possibly be, why were they kept secretive and hidden and what was the meaning behind Brian's expression?

Justin jumped a metre and the moment was deftly broken when the door opened suddenly.

Ben walked in and behind him was his partner, Michael. "Sire..." Ben started while Michael hid behind the burly body of Ben.

Justin sucked in a silent breath at that sudden intrusion, he had been so focused on watching Brian that the door being opened seemed so out of blue. Even Brian seemed startled. He didn't think Brian possessed an expression of surprise.

A flash of irritation crossed Brian's face but when he saw the worry etched on both their faces. It subsided but not completely.

"Someone better be dead…" Brian growled lowly.

Ben halted his steps. Now he wasn't so sure if this was right time to talk about this. The king clearly was troubled about something.

Brian rolled his eyes and walked closer to the couple. "Don't stop now, Benjamin"

"Sire, it's about Francis…He's missing"

Michael and Ben exchanged quick glances.

Brian blinked. He closed his eyes for a brief second, trying to remember who he was. _Francis...Francis..._And then suddenly it clicked to him. He was the royal spy.

"Francis? If I recall, he wasn't on duty. I think it had been _months_ since I have personally assigned him a task. When did you realise he was missing?"

Ben glanced at Michael. For the first time, Michael spoke out loud. Stepping out of Ben's shadow albeit shyly.

"Actually Sire…" Michael started shyly. "I have something to confess"

Brian raised a brow to that. He glanced at Ben who was clearly feeling uncomfortable and he tried his best to avoid eye contact.

"Spit it out Michael. I've grown bored of being surprised or shocked for that matter"

Justin had to suppress a smile. He was increasingly becoming more curious about this matter. A confession from Michael? Justin moved a little closer to the edge.

Michael straightened his back and told him. "Sire, I was the one who recently assigned him a task. A task that had never been completed"

"What is the nature of this task?" Brian asked quietly although he was seething inside that Michael would assign tasks without asking him.

Michael glanced once more to the man beside him for some strength and then back at the king.

"T-To spy on the prince" He quickly spoke.

Justin actually had to physically close his mouth with both his hands to hold back his loud audible gasp. It was Michael that had assigned a man to spy on him?

So…it wasn't Brian?

A quiet voice loomed over him as the realisation slowly struck. _Brandon had been wrong…_Maybe Brian did have an inkling of trust in him.

Justin pried his ears open to listen to Brian's response. Would he be calm? Would he sense indifference? Would he pat Michael on the back for watching out for him?

Justin watched Brian's expression contuse in contained bewilderment from what little he could see from his view. He clenched his hands into a tight fist and stepped closer to Michael, towering over him.

"Please tell me, please Michael tell me that my ears are failing. Did I hear right? Did you for a minute think that you could do whatever you please?" He spoke through gritted teeth.

Michael unconsciously retreated, "I apologize dearly Sire, I..."

Brian laughed but it was empty and mocking. "You _apologize? _You add an apology in the end and it makes it perfectly acceptable now, is it?"

"I had reasons, Brian. _Very good reasons_" Michael asserted, using the king's first name to emphasize the silent trust between them.

Brian stopped Michael with a single gesture of his hand. "No,I want to know something first" He spoke, his voice calming once again.

Brian was angry? Brian's outrage sent a surge of excitement through his body. God, that alone lit a tiny candle of hope and it flickered bright in his dark heart. But Justin suppressed those feelings hard, _no_, it said. The anger sprouted from Michael's lack of disobedience and nothing more. Justin agreed that reason was far more plausible.

Brian continued to talk. His brows flushed together, his expression hard and his words rough.

"Tell me, did you think you were doing the rather deranged, foolish king a favour?"

"Never Sire" Michael told him confidently.

"Then what did _you _think?" He spat.

"I need to hear the truth" Brian demanded.

Ben looked at both of them. Brian was offended and clearly raged,but the real question was whether his reaction was a result of Michael's disobedience or _maybe_ there was something more. Was it because _his _sweet Justin that could do no wrong had become the target of Michael's antics?

Justin's ear crawled towards the edge. He wanted to know what Michael's answer would be. He clutched at his chest, trying to calm his aggravated heartbeat. He could only Brian's back and the side-view faces of Michael and Ben.

Brian waited impatiently as he watched Michael prepare himself mentally.

Michael looked straight into Brian's eyes. With confidence unknown to him, he took a step forwards.

"I apologize in advance because for what I'm about to say might be blunt."

"Don't stall..." Brian warned.

Michael's shoulders slumped and the verbal diarrhoea had started and the words flowed out. "You were always so…_careful_. You'd never trust, certainly not someone like _Justin_. He never even wanted to be here to begin with!" He reasoned. He briefly looked into Brian's fiery eyes as they burned even brighter. His train of thought momentarily disappearing in response but he continued with half the courage he had begun with.

"You were infatuated with that boy, you lost reason." He concluded, somewhat shakingly.

"Michael..." Ben tried to warn him silently, nudging him with his elbow.

"Ben, don't...I want to let him know. It's what everyone else is thinking, I'm purely speaking out loud."

Brian gnashed his teeth for a second.

Justin blinked. He didn't understand what was going on. With every word Michael uttered made him tremble inside with feelings he had never experienced before. Just the fact that he might have had such an impact on Brian made him feel such strange sensations.

Michael didn't stop though, "Even after you've seen him with Brandon, even after he'd told you what he might've done _with Justin_."

Michael still remembered the time when they had followed Justin into the woods where they first saw Justin meeting Brandon. After Justin had left, Brandon was confronted and asked about what they had been talking about and he had shamelessly admitted that Justin was looking for something more than a friendly banter. Brian never believed him though.

Justin eyes widened in bewilderment. What? Did he hear right? Brandon had told _them_ that he and Brandon both had been involved in something? Fear raced through him and Justin's mind deduced to the worst assumption possible. Disgust of the vilest nature ran rampant and Justin swore he'd give more than a piece of his mind to that lying bastard!

Michael inhaled sharply and without much proper thought he let out a single line that axed his entire perspective.

"Honestly Sire, Is he that _good_ in bed that you're willing to jeopardize yourself and this entire kingdom along with you?"

Justin blushed a deep crimson red for that obscene not to mention crude question. In the next second, there was a sudden sequence of movement and Justin wasn't sure what happened but there were two sounds- a smack and a thud and the next second he saw Michael lying on the floor. A painful grunt followed and then Ben ushered to his partner's rescue.

Justin's eyes widened when he saw the blood trickling from Michael's nose.

"Sire..." Ben leapt into the conversation, holding off the king. If he wanted to save Michael, he had to interfere.

"All Michael is trying to say..." He started. "He was doing this to protect you, Sire. He was only concerned that you weren't being yourself while you were...uh enamoured with the prince"

And a silence fell upon the room. Dusted heavily with strange sense of anticipation.

Justin's heart was hammering with a force he had yet to know. He could hear blood rushing in his veins and the sound of his heart drummed in his ears. Every breath became deeper and faster.

Michael stood up but leaned partially against Ben.

Brian closed his momentarily. "Are you listening Michael?"

"Are you listening?" He growled.

"Yes Sire, I'm listening" He agreed sorely.

Brian's voice sounded resigned. Like a precious secret that he was forced to tell and it peeved him. This only made Justin more interested.

"Justin was never a threat and he will_ never_ be. So quit implying he'd endanger my life or this kingdom"

"And second, Justin isn't _them_. He will never be _them._ So don't you dare ever compare him with those pathetic sycophants."

Michael's face grew duller with each passing second. When would Brian understand that he was wrong and that he was being manipulated? The pain from Brian's blow seemed to migrate to his head and it ached painfully.

Brian felt his patience being tried as he watched Michael averting his gaze deliberately.

"Michael" He called sternly.

Walking closer to him, Brian spoke while he felt his heart swelling with…_pride?_ "There are very few men that could hold their principles under the edge of a sword and surprisingly enough, Justin rightly belongs to one of those few. He may be ill-mannered, ridiculously stubborn but he wouldn't deceive. He couldn't…"

Justin's eyes widened and he felt blood rushing to his cheeks.

"In fact, I have much to learn from Justin"

Michael swallowed hard when Brian's voice held such awe and respect, _for _that boy. He frowned. He had looked up to Brian all his life and for the first time he was disappointed with what he had to hear.

_Brian Kinney_ wanting to learning from that _boy!_ How ridiculous, it almost made him want to laugh.

"I trust him. So you will too" Brian told him quietly.

"I will not pretend I understand Sire, but I will respect your wishes. I dearly apologize for my actions" Michael briskly told him.

Brian tenderly caressed Michael's cheek regretting his previous outburst. He sighed "Michael…"

"It's okay Sire. You don't have to say it aloud. I understand"

He then turned and left abrupt. Brian sighed. He signalled Ben to walk with the gesture of his hand and slowly walked out of the room.

Realising that Brian was leaving the room, Justin slumped against the shelf in exaggerated relief.

Brian scratched the side of his forehead as he walked along side with Ben. "Ben, take care of him. Let him rest for as long as he needs"

Brian might have had lost his temper for a flash of a second there but it didn't mean that his love for Michael had been erased. As he swiped the blooded knuckles against his dark fabric, he regretted every moment of his early decision. He had actually physically assaulted the very man that stood with him from his childhood years.

Ben was right. Michael was only trying to look out for his best, but why it did upset him with such intensity? His reaction had been similar to the one he'd experience when someone would insult _him_. He wondered if the boy had taken residence in his mind, such that his usual selfishness and possessiveness over his own existence meddled, intertwined somewhat with Justin's.

Ben nodded absentmindedly "Of course"

"And Ben" Brian continued. Pausing a minute to clear his head.

"I want a report" Brian started but paused briefly.

"….About Theodore's family"

"Theodore Sire?"

Brian nodded impatiently. "Just the basics…The current whereabouts of his family, what they're doing, anything that could be rendered significant"

Ben nodded but he couldn't _believe_ he would be looking searching through Theodore's personal life. What could the reason possibly be?

"I want it in less than two hours."

"Very well, Sire"

* * *

><p>Once Brian exited, Justin waited a few more seconds before he scooted closer to the door and after gaining confidence that Brian wouldn't be returning, Justin stood up and walked quickly to the door.<p>

Before he exited, his eyes focused on a familiar piece of art. The one that Brian had been staring earlier. Justin's heart stopped when he realized that it was the very painting he himself had created when he had still been back at home. Not wanting to stall any longer, he quickly glanced adoringly at the painting once more and left. His heart swelling with strange, upheaving emotion.

He had jogged some distance away from the study and leaned against a nearby wall to catch his breath. Christ, that was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.

Justin's mind was buzzing. His face glowed and he had a strange desire to shout excitedly, scream until his throat went dry or better run and even sprint till his legs went limp in order to get rid of all this excess energy that was coursing through him. How long had it been since he had felt this way?

He smiled to no one particular, grinning like an idiot. He ran a hand through his soft blond locks as he leaned his head against the wall.

Brian wanted him. He still wanted him.

Why did that make him so damn ecstatic?

His smile quickly disappeared when images of Brandon flitted through his mind. Every word that ever spilled out of his disgusting mouth were pure pristine lies. Rage enveloped him. He'd been a fool, he had allowed his insecurities to clog his head and he was preyed to believe the outrageous of lies.

He was such a fool. Such _a fool! _He was thoroughly embarrassed with himself. He felt himself redden. Could he ever tell Brian the truth?

Justin decided he'd let it go for now. There would be another time for this ridiculous tale and he'll face whatever the consequences whether be it laugher or anger. For now, he'd enjoy this bliss, for once he'd let himself be happy with no guilt, no shame. The sun finally felt like it was shining on him.

Justin briefly worried about the letter that was on its way to Chris. In twodays, he would be here. Justin shrugged mentally, Chris would wait but he knew he would eventually leave. Justin would later write a letter to tell them that everything was perfectly peachy.

Justin couldn't wait to see Brian. Just the thought sent him shrills of excitement.

He was so happy, he found his appetite returning. He scampered off to the kitchen and when he saw Michael approaching him in the opposite direction. He beamed at him, Michael in return was confused to say the least. He put an effort to smile but failed.

"Afternoon Prince" He managed to say.

"What could that be…on your face?" Justin asked innocently, pointing to a particular black-bruise on his left cheek close to his nose.

Michael muttered something incoherently and whisked past Justin.

Justin tried to stifle a chuckle in response. He couldn't help but feel smug. Brian had _defended_ him.

As Justin sat down to eat, he couldn't help but think that staying here wasn't going to be that bad after all.

* * *

><p><strong><em>TWO HOURS LATER, BACK AT BRIAN'S STUDY<em>**

Brian returned to his office, a little dishevelled. He had wanted to see Justin but all his plans were mercilessly being thwarted. First it was his troubled sister about the stolen poison, then it was Michael's bloody confession and now…now he had to deal with Theodore.

Theodore had lied to him.

Theodore.

Out of all the people, he could've suspected for holding secrets against him, it had to be Theodore? No, it didn't seem right.

He was plain as black and white, so damn reliable. Theodore was one of the very few confidantes he had. He even found Theodore to be much more understanding than Michael. The one he could always count on. His advices weren't half bad either.

Indignation rose quickly.

What was Theodore up to?

Just as Brian had expected, a knock on the door followed by a peep and a greeting ensued.

"Afternoon Sire, I was just about to head to the dining room"

"And also Mel wanted to let you know she left to visit her in-laws, she'd back in a week"

Brian didn't respond. He only stared quietly from across the desk.

"Is there anything I could do for you, Sire?" He asked, wringing his hands together.

Silence was Brian's response. Theodore could almost see some sort of a dark, black aura emanating all around him.

He walked closer until half his body was pressed up against the desk.

"Sire?" Theodore asked, swallowing a very big lump in his throat.

Brian rubbed his forehead.

"How is your _Mother_?" Brian asked calmly.

"Sire…" He squeaked.

Theodore stepped back instantly. It felt like everything surrounding him had collapsed, crashed sweeping everything into the tendrils of fire that was emanating in Brian's eyes.

He had been CAUGHT.

Theodore started to lose reality and had a distinct impression that he was now standing on a wooden plank.

One more step and he'd fall to his death. Any moment now…

Brian stood up in one fluid moment. Placing one hand flat against the desk, he used the other and pulled Theodore collar, so hard that Theodore tripped and nearly fell flat on to the desk.

"I'm offended Theodore. Not because you have lied but because you think I'd actually fall for your stupid, demeaning, idiotic gimmick"

Theodore shut eyes and started to madly apologizing. "I apologize, dear God, I apologize, Sire. Please let me explain everything."

Brian slowly let go. Trying to regain his composure. "Speak Theodore, and only the truth, mind you, shall fall from that mouth of yours"

Theodore straightened his clothes and began to speak "That lie…Sire. It was a product of trying to protect a promise. A foolish promise, it was"

Brian's forehead furrowed. "Who is it that you were protecting?"

"Justin, Sire."

Shock momentarily exploded his vision as he heard Justin's name roll from Theodore's lips.

His eyes widened instantly. He asked his voice uncharacteristically high-pitched. "Justin?"

"He had a letter he wanted to send to his….uhh…" Theodore felt a bead of dread drip from his forehead.

_I'm so sorry Justin. So sorry. _Theodore apologized to Justin in his head.

"Send to _who_? SPEAK" Brian demanded sternly.

"His friend, Sire." He repeated

"But he only wanted to know his well-being! That's all! It was innocent and I felt obliged to make a pact of secrecy"

"I regret it with all my might, Sire" Theodore quietly declared, bowing his head down.

But Brian had already lost all sense of reality and the only one word he could focus on was _'his _well-being' _HIS?_

_Who was this 'friend'?_

"What else did he mention about _this 'friend'?"_ Brian spat.

Theodore was feeling so terribly guilty about his confession but in the end he had no choice. Justin had trusted him and here he was spilling every word on to this stage surrendering to a merciless judge.

Alas, he couldn't have kept it a secret either, as he'd earlier spoken; his entire loyalty was to Brian and him alone. He only wished he had never agreed to Justin. Then he wouldn't have this need to apologize and feel terribly guilty for both parties. His skills to make decisions were atrocious.

"No Sire, as I told you before I hadn't thought through it well. There was a sense of desperate plea in his eyes, I couldn't resist."

"Let me get this clear Theodore, you were willing to let him write a letter to a man we know _nothing_ of, well okay…do we perhaps have a grip on the content of the letter? Once again, we know _NOTHING, no, not even a_ _fucking clue_ and you shamelessly stand before me and tell me that you fell for his _begging_?"

Brian slammed his fist hard against the desk.

Brian absorbed every word like sponge. There was something building inside him that he couldn't quite explain. Envy, anger, resentment and the worst – he was starting to doubt the very nature of Justin's character.

"If I ever, _ever _want to find how it must be in the mind of apathetic _fool. _I'd be glad to consider you for the role."

"I'm sorry…but" He squeaked.

"Get the fuck out" Brian growled.

"The letter had never been sent, Sire" He managed to say in the end.

Brian perked up to this news.

His eyes immediately fell upon the open letter box where he'd keep his letters to send and he quickly noticed there was one letter more than he had originally planning to send.

Brian bent to pick it up and to his great dismay he immediately recognized the writings of Justin scrawled on top of the envelope.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AFTER THE MOON HAD RISEN, BEDROOM<em>**

Justin hid his in the pillow. The bed sheets around him in a big heap of mess.

Where _was_ Brian?

He was starting to feel restless. He got off the bed in one fluid movement. He decided it'd be best, if he'd find out for himself.

Justin looked into the study first and hit the jackpot. He entered room with apprehension. His heart fluttering when he saw Brian sleeping soundly, his head flat against the desk.

Justin crept slowly towards the desk not wanting to wake him up. His heart skipped a beat when Brian's face came into full view. He looked so beautiful, so peaceful. Justin chuckled silently when the corner of his mouth started to form drool. Justin gently caressed his hair. He didn't stir. In fact, he unconsciously leaned into Justin's touch. He must have been so tired.

Justin couldn't resist. He moved closer, to place a quick kiss on his cheek but the second he did, Brian's eyes opened sharply at the very second and the first thing he did was push Justin back.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Brian asked irritated. Wiping his mouth quickly, how long had he blacked out?

Brian was stressed. He was irritable and his anger quickened whenever Justin appeared in his head. He had come early in the hope of seeing Justin, to take him along with him on the expedition and now he felt like a fucking pathetic fool. The very thought that Michael might have been right was enough to make him quiver with fury.

Now part of him wanted Justin out of his life. It'd bring immense relief, wouldn't it?

Justin flinched visibly.

"N-Nothing, I wanted to see you" Justin replied, unsure and _nervous?_

"Well here I am!" He exclaimed rising to his feet abrupt, that his chair moved an inch back due to the sudden force.

"Now that you have fulfilled your worthless purpose, you can leave" He replied calmly yet sternly.

Justin stared at Brian at this sudden outburst. What- What the fuck happened?

"Brian…" Justin whispered his name, astonished with widened eyes.

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. Justin was still standing, not moving an inch. God, how did manage to still look so innocent? Almost as if nothing had happened.

Brian crooked his finger and motioned for him to come closer. Brian raised a brow to how quickly Justin walked and suddenly his chest collided with a head full of golden strands and a deliciously warm body. Justin's hands enveloped him, encircling his arms around his waist. Brian felt those soft lips press against his sternum. Did he mention that this embrace was getting tighter and tighter?

Justin never wanted to let go. He had _missed _him_ so _much. Holding him felt incredibly surreal especially after everything had happened. After all those lies, those gnawing doubts, those pathetic leech-like insecurities and now here he was holding Brian and every fibre of his being felt alive once again.

Everything felt _okay._

Brian wondered what made Justin act a little out of character. This small excited reaction from Justin was enough to make his heart jump and his cock liven up, it was pathetic. He restrained his arms to hold him back. He reminded himself that this Justin was an illusion. He tried his best to remember the letter Justin had written and anger bubbled up to the surface once again.

Brian looked down at him. His eyes staring back at him, stony hard and with barely hidden contempt. The way a judge looks down at a criminal. It made Justin's skin roughen with tiny bumps.

What Justin craved desperately was for Brian's touch, his perfect body, his heat, his _kiss_. He wanted Brian to embrace him as tightly as possible. Looking up at Brian's bored expression, his hands kept well away from his own body; Justin frowned. Had he done something wrong?

Justin slowly released his tight hold, his cheeks quickly turning crimson knowing that his actions weren't welcome in the first place.

"Is there something wrong?" Justin asked.

Brian averted his eyes, focusing on the door he answered nonchalantly. "I don't know, is there?"

Justin wasn't sure how to react to that weird cryptic statement, so he stood there expressionless and silent.

"Maybe I should go" Justin announced all of a sudden. The silence killing him inside. He had clearly come at the wrong time. Brian probably had priorities far more important than him.

Justin turned and before he could take another step he felt Brian grab his arm and pull him hard against him.

"How do you do that?" Brian asked, his face inches away from Justin's.

"Do what?" Justin asked, confused.

_Make me want to fuck you, kiss you…keep you._

Brian stared into those blue eyes, welcoming the feeling of that familiar sinking. He threaded his fingers into the back of Justin's hair and pulled it back firmly eliciting a short gasp.

"You play well, Justin" Brian whispered against Justin's lobe and continued to skim his warm, wet tongue along the length of his neck. Justin's breathing became erratic when Brian stopped at the base of his neck. Brian all of a sudden bit him hard making Justin gasp in pain. Both of Justin's hands immediately grabbed Brian's arm to help him balance.

Brian swiveled them until Justin was well-pressed against the edge of the desk. His ass pressed against the edge.

Brian bit him twice along the length of his neck, causing Justin to squeeze his eyes shut and let out a raspy moan. The pain was sharp and quick and made his head reel. Brian sucked his lower lip and then bit the corner of his lower lip hard enough to draw blood and at the same time he tightened his grasp in Justin's hair causing Justin to tightly squeeze the muscles on Brian's back in an effort to dissipate pain.

Justin peered momentarily into Brian's eyes. His lower lip burned and his neck was tender as hell but something else ached desperately "Br…" Justin's voice was muffled when Brian smashed his lips against Justin's and he slipped his tongue into Justin's mouth, almost flexing him half-way back.

Justin was partly relieved when Brian's hands were now holding on to his waist instead of his hair. Justin kissed him back with the same lust-maddened enthusiasm. Justin jerked forward when Brian twisted one of his nipples hard. He'd sometimes dig his nails into Justin's ass and grip him hard. Brian consumed and captured every breathy moan and gasp that escaped from Justin's mouth.

They kissed languorously with Brian alternating with fucking Justin's mouth and biting his lower lip enjoying Justin's whimpered moans and the small trembles he'd feel. Justin offered no resistance when he bit and sucked on the already tender parts of his neck and his lips, which surprised him a little. Instead he could feel Justin trying to press and rub his cock wantonly against his thigh.

When they parted, both of their cocks were hard and leaking. With only the sounds of their erratic breathing, Brian quickly bent Justin over his desk. Pushing his chest flat against the desk and his ass for Brian to admire.

Justin blushed furiously, he could feel Brian staring at him, _his ass. _The heat of the desire however overwhelmed the feeling of embarrassment. Justin's heart raced while waited with anticipation and when Brian pressed his hard throbbing cock against his ass, he moaned loudly.

"Brian…" He pleaded. _Fuck me_…

Brian leaned over him completely, continuing to rub his cock against the curved ass and whispered in his ear biting gently on his sensitive ear lobe. "I have a surprise for you tomorrow"

"Sur-pp-rise?" Justin replied somewhat stuttering as he felt Brian squeeze his ass harder than ever before sending jolts to his hard dick and causing him to leak a copious amount of precum.

Just when Justin thought things were heating up, Brian pulled him back up. He stared back at Brian with confusion etched on his face.

"Don't worry too much, you'll _love_ it" Brian continued, observing that Justin's eyes were nothing but pools of black.

Justin didn't really give much thought to this 'surprise' with his lust-laden mind. All he really wanted was Brian's cock up his ass. When Justin reached to kiss Brian back, tip-toeing in the process and to his great surprise Brian quickly turned away and immediately increased the distance between them.

Justin blinked with a vacant expression before he felt a seer heart ripping sensation of rejection. His dick softening in the process.

"Now, if you could please leave. I have work to finish" Brian coldly interjected. He knew he had to take care of his hard on once Justin left the room. He hadn't planned to tease Justin but he couldn't help touching him. Fucking him was however, out of the question; it would further complicate the situation they were in and he wasn't sure if he could control himself to hurt Justin in the process.

Justin felt his chest constrict and he wished he could read Brian's mind, just this once.

Justin's eyes widened as his hand flew to the site of insult on his neck. He could feel the indents on his skin from Brian's teeth. He knew for sure it had turned bright blotchy red. It stung, especially his bloody lip. Fuck, Brian had been particularly aggressive…Was it bad that he had actually enjoyed this?

"Brian?" He called out softly.

Brian didn't look up, acting as if he was reading the most important material ever set in that course of century.

"Brian…" He repeated.

"Hmm…" Brian replied.

Justin wanted to thank Brian for believing in him, for trusting him.

Justin wanted to express the multitude of feelings that were jumbled in his head. He remembered once that he had told Brian on their first sexual encounter that he'd never triumph over his heart. He wasn't so sure about it now. Justin felt that tremendous barbaric brick wall built from guilt and shame crashing and tumbling. He could see far more clearly now and he felt so much lighter.

Those three words were so ready to slip from his mouth. They were at the tip of his tongue. Threatening his mind that it would slip any moment now but Justin pursed his lips harshly and stood silently watching a rather agitated Brian do about his work.

He wasn't sure he could ever Brian understand perfectly. He won't lie, there were parts of him he strongly disliked.

In the beginning, all he saw was Brian lusting over his crude primal wants. No different from an animal, he had thought. With every passing day, he'd once catch a tentative smile or a caring word or a glimpse of an unloved boy that'd shatter every one of his judgements.

How could Justin possibly express what he felt right now? Surrender something that he had guarded strictly for so long, a merciless beast he had tried to suppress, and that was growing ever so quietly underneath the barred cage made of pretence and ignorance. For quite some time the beast listened to him, beating its wings quietly along with the hum drum of his heart but once again there he was, _Brian Kinney_ and he set out to destroy the very confinement in his mind that was very much needed to maintain his sanity. Now it thrashed and screamed to spread its wings.

How long could he restrain it for?

_I love you Brian_

_I_

_Love_

_You_

_So_

_Much_

_You had won, once again._

Instead of all that heavy romantic sludge and slime came a mundane, could even be said a pointless greeting. Justin stared at the top of Brian's head and calmly said "Good night"

Brian replied with a lazy "Hmm" never even looking up but only until the door closed shut that his bent frame stood straight up.

* * *

><p><strong><em>NEXT DAY, BEFORE THE SUN HAD SET<em>**

No one or nothing could've prepared Justin to what his surprise would be.

It came in the evening, just as the sun was about to set. Justin had slept poorly; Brian's behaviour troubled his mind. Why did Brian behave that way last night? He hadn't even come back to their chambers. Had he suddenly appeared repulsive? He didn't understand, nothing made sense!

Justin had finished a piece of cake when a guard had summoned him that Brian wanted to see him immediately. Justin's face instantly lit up.

It was in a room where Brian entertained his guests. Brian sat in one of the plush upholstery, deep in thought. He wasn't alone though. Theodore was present, who averted his eyes quickly. There was Cynthia too, reading a book quietly in another separate lounge in the corner of the room.

"Justin!" Brian called excitedly, wearing one of his fake smiles.

"Are you ready for your surprise?" With mock excitement, Brian got up and walked over to Justin.

Justin stood fixed to his spot. A black cloud seemed to ominously float above his head.

He looked at Theodore who once again bowed his head down and stared down at the floor. Something wasn't right and flit of panic rose to Justin's chest, squeezing him tightly.

Brian pulled Justin against him roughly, he dipped his head and smashed his lips against the quivering ones. There was something strange about that kiss. Justin felt suffocation, instead of arousal.

Cynthia cleared her throat from behind.

"Theodore" He called and outstretched his hand as if he was expecting Theodore to give him something, all the while piercing Justin with a stony cold gaze. With shaking hands, he slipped a sheet of paper into Brian's hands.

Justin's eyes widened and he stepped back. It was the letter that he had written the other day in his hasty plan to escape. _Fuck, Fuck…FUCK_

Everything made sense now; Brian's bitter attitude the other night for example.

"Brian, I can explain" Justin implored.

"Sh…" Brian pressed a finger against his lips effectively cutting him off.

"You have yet to see your surprise" He bemused taking Justin by shoulder, forcing him to face the door.

"Such an entertainment it was, reading your letter. What was more amusing was that you thought you get away with it."

Justin had seen Brian being angry, vengeful but this was _nothing _compared to it. Justin was terrified seeing Brian this way.

Brian was raged, clearly and Justin's weak denial only allowed him to push even harder. There was a part of him that wanted to see Justin in pain, hurting. His sadistic side roared at him to take a step higher and shove him harder into the abyss. And god, he wanted to…

"I can't wait for you to see the surprise" He added once again.

"Ben! It's time" He yelled.

Justin watched Ben walking in and his jaw dropped to the floor. For a second, his world seemed to tilt on its axis.

"C-C-Chris?" He whispered silently to himself. He wondered if he had lost his voice. He glanced at Brian and then back at Chris.

Chris was standing his hands were tied back by heavy iron-clad chains. His feet too were chained and he shuffled side to side in impatience. There were obvious signs of struggle- a red tainted cheek, bruised biceps, dried blood from the corner of his mouth and dishevelled dirty hair. His mouth tied back with a cloth and his head seemed to droop with exhaustion. A low moan escaped from his mouth that made the hairs on Justin stand up.

Justin his insides being crushed. Chris was in danger because of him!

"I thought I'd do you a favour by bringing your 'friend', _lover_?_"_ Brian asked, raising his eyebrows and smirk firmly in place.

The last word stung Justin and he shut his eyes immediately. So this was where Brian's anger was sprouting from.

He turned towards Brian. "Brian, you're mistaken. He isn't…No not anymore"

"I can explain…" Justin implored.

Brian watched him with a blank stare. He almost looked bored.

He then crumpled the letter in his hands and walked over to Chris. "Remove the cloth from his mouth" Brian ordered.

The minute the cloth was removed, Chris began cursing weakly "Let ME GO" He squeaked. When Chris yelled "You bastard!" Brian promptly stuffed his mouth with that letter while he eagerly watched Justin. _Good_, he wanted to see fear in Justin's face. Chris's voice began to muffle with paper interfering with the vibrations from his vocal chords.

"EAT IT!" Brian yelled and pushed it further into his mouth. Chris started to sob violently, an awful sound that permeated the room and drool dripped copiously from the sides of his mouth. Brian stepped away in disgust.

"Brian!" Justin called softly. "Stop, please stop"

Justin's eyes began to cloud over and the emotional overload made him giddy and nauseous. His heart lurched in guilt when he saw Chris in that state.

Chris managed to shot Justin a deathly glare even in his pathetic state and Justin could feel the pure hatred emanating from Chris's body in massive waves.

"This has nothing to do with him! I was the one who wrote the damn letter, it was my wrong-doing. Leave him!" He yelled.

Brian walked over to Justin. He squeezed Justin's jaw hard. "Now, now Justin. Your lover is in the best of hands" He purred.

"He's NOT my…"

"We found this…" Brian said as he showed Justin a tiny bottle.

When Brian saw Justin's eyes dilate in full-knowing, his expression indicating guilt, he had an inexplicable urge to destroy something violently.

"Now, _this_ was _stolen. _So please enlighten me Justin to what could be the possible motive behind this?"

"I know how this looks like! But you have to believe me Brian, I can explain, it might sound outlandish but I can explain"

"Oh really? Then go on _please,_ I want to hear this"

"It was Brandon!" Justin blurted out. "He had given it to me. He told me I was getting executed and that I should take revenge"

"I was never going to use it" Justin added sternly.

Brian momentarily paused in shock. _Brandon?_ His face contorted in sudden confusion.

"How is that possible?" Cynthia asked, shocked. Her eyes widened. She wore an expression of bewilderment as she glanced back at Justin. She had been the silent for the entire ordeal but now was the time she felt obliged to speak. She stood up and walked closer.

"He's been dead for more than two weeks" She stated flatly, almost like she had told him that the Sun rose in the East. A mere common fact.

"What?" Justin squeaked.

_WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?_

"He had accidentally drowned in that lake located in the woods. He'd been buried, Justin" Cynthia told him calmly.

Justin opened his mouth and closed it once again. He was so lost for words as his mind vibrated with waves of shock. Brandon was DEAD? TWO WEEKS AGO?

"I…How…I…d-don't u-understand" Justin blabbered. How could someone, who was supposed to be _dead _talk to him? How could someone be _dead_ and yet give him something physically substantial?

Brian closed his eyes briefly. His world was becoming a mess. Part of his him wanted to believe in Justin. This entire episode was spiralling out of control. Why did Justin even use Brandon's name? Was it to deflect the blame, or maybe there was something more?

"Blaming it on a dead man? Surely I expected better, _Prince_" Michael spat, his appearance a surprise and obviously uninvited.

Justin glanced at Michael, glaring back at him. He channelled his frustration into the balls of his fist.

"He should receive what he deserves" Michael added watching the entire scenario with a smug expression with '_I told you so!' _hammering repeatedly in his head.

"Enough Michael!" Brian roared in annoyance.

"Brian..I…" Justin wasn't sure to say. He was a liar in the eyes of these people. Anything that came out of his mouth was either ignored or looked down upon. He was a traitor! Someone who had betrayed their king and who tried to kill him too. His moral status was reduced to nothing but a cheap greedy leech. And now they were on the verge of calling him insane.

Justin wanted to run. He had an uncontrollable urge to escape from these accusing faces, away from the hatred and contempt hidden behind their eyes. He wanted to desperately shut out the world.

Brian drew his sword, the sharp metal making a slicing metal sound as it ripped open. Justin's took sharp intake of breath.

Theodore left the hall quietly, his heart heavy with guilt. Justin would be dead, he was sure of it. He felt he carried part of the blame and he walked away silently to seek some solace in alcohol.

"Something doesn't feel right, Brian" Cynthia mumbled, her voice holding despair.

Brian's eyes flitted towards Cynthia. Her words resonating in his head. She left, not wanting to view carnage. She knew Brian in the end would do what he wanted to do despite what anyone said. She held no evidence for Justin's innocence. She could do nothing to protect him.

Justin stepped backwards as Brian moved forwards. He hit a wall and instantly felt the tip of the sword against his bulging adam's apple.

Then it was gone and Justin watched Brian's head swivel to inspect the room.

"I want everyone to leave this room._ NOW!_"

"Brian, what do we do with _him_?" Ben asked, tugging the chain hard resulting in Chris glaring back at Ben.

Chris was a mess, he had in fact consumed part of the parchment and his face was blotchy red with tears streaming down his face.

Brian's eyes quickly flitted towards Justin's pleading eyes and then back at Chris.

Another moment passed before Brian ordered "Let him go, he's worthless"

Justin let out a breath he had no idea he held. Chris lived. He wondered if Brian understand his pleas.

Soon the room became dead silent. Justin looked up at him, his tongue inexplicably tied. Brian wasn't ready to listen to him and he…he didn't know what to say. Was he to say that he had been a fool? That he had believed the 'dead' Brandon? Justin knew in this rage, any part of this cold truth would hiss and throw daggers at Brian. He wouldn't understand. So Justin stared back, his body and mind limp surrendering to his fate. That very fate which was written by Brian Kinney.

Justin felt _so _stuck. Why did he always manage to get himself into these sorts of situations?

"You've disappointed me Justin." Brian whispered menacingly into Justin's ear. It sent shivers down Justin's spine. He couldn't help but agree with Brian. If he could only turn back time, he would make all the right choices and then he would've still been in Brian's arms. Against his warm chest, he would hide his face and forget the world.

"You're no different from the rest" He concluded dryly.

And for the first time in that day, Justin felt a severe spark of indignation. "Don't…" Justin gritted through his teeth. "I'm _not_ one of them. I'm nothing like them" He seethed.

Brian had the audacity to smirk in response "Feisty even in distraught"

Brian pushed him back hard against the wall. "I'd be more careful with that mouth of yours if I was you"

"You're standing on the very edge of my patience Justin, don't make me push you"

Justin pursed his lips and looked away.

Playing with his sword, Brian stepped back and tilted his head "As far as I know, you had wanted me dead since the day I met you. Hell, you even wanted to slice me apart the other day. So explain to me Justin. Give me one. One fucking reason why you even want me alive"

Justin pursed his lips and stared hard back at Brian. He couldn't believe that Brian was bringing up the sword incident again. He knew that Justin had felt terribly guilty for that accident. And yet he doubted him and it hurt.

Silence brewed them and their eyes met in a chaotic war.

A minute had passed.

Silence.

_Another_ slow torturous minute had passed and surprisingly Brian seemed patient enough. His eyes hadn't left Justin's face not even for a second but his grip on his sword tightened.

In the third minute; Justin spoke, his heart beating wildly and erratically…

"I'm in love with you, Brian"

Brian's eyes widened and his body froze turning into a rigid frame.

"Is that good enough for a reason?" Justin barely whispered, his voice straining for some reason and he felt like his throat had caught on fire. He looked up through his eyelashes.

"What…" Brian managed to say. His mouth was suddenly dry and mind temporarily blank. He immediately moved closer, his eyes rapidly searching Justin's eyes, his face, anything that would point to him that he had heard something of a different matter altogether.

"I love you Brian." Justin repeated unfazed.

"_Stop…_stop using that word" Brian hissed like a threatened animal as he pressed Justin hard against the wall.

Why was Justin doing this? Did he _know_ what it did to him? What it made him feel?

"That probably was the most pathetic excuse, I've ever heard the pleasure of listening to. Do you think I'm a _fool_ Justin?" He scowled. His eyes sharp and full of fire.

The swift drawing moment of Brian's hand made Justin shiver in dire anticipation but he remained fixed to his stance. However, the awaiting slide of the sword never arrived and he slowly peeked from under his eyelashes, his eyes widening as he saw Brian's eyes piercing back at him with an stark, confused expression.

Brian's hand trembled. His hand never trembled. Not even when he first killed a man to make his father proud. It didn't even falter for a second. Killing was second nature to him. In that brief moment as he stared into those blue eyes, Brian hated his very own existence.

Justin's heart fell and he was on the verge of a break down. Brian didn't believe him. What had he expected? That Brian would come to the stark realisation and that he too would confess his undying love for him like he had suspected and then what? That they would later watch the sunset together, while they held hands and kissed. _Stupid Justin_…

"Did you expect I would glow in pride and forget everything you've done in the brink of a second?" Brian asked, confirming Justin's doubts.

"What I did, it was reckless. I fell into a trap. I never meant any of it to happen. You have to believe me Brian" Justin replied, trying not to include Brandon's name in fear of unravelling another dramatic episode.

"I'm afraid, it's not enough," Was Brian's simple reply as he looked down.

Justin had come to the worst conclusion. Brian was going to kill him.

Brian stepped back and at once barked out an order "Get on your knees, your back straight and your head down and your hands clasped behind your back"

Anger was once again boiling within him. _How dare he?_ Did he think he'd fall for this kind of nonsense? Love?

"NOW!" Brian hissed when Justin stood, staring back at him with a vacant expression.

Justin sat on his haunches and looked down at Brian's feet. Tears pooling at the corner of his eyes. _This was it…_

"Death is far too quick, too simple, too liberating"

Justin scrunched his face up in confusion.

"For you Justin, liberation is not something I wish to give"

Brian rounded Justin, circling his prey. His demeanour proud and arrogant, he spoke "Hear your punishment well for I shall not repeat"

Brian continued when Justin nodded his slightly.

He inhaled sharply before he spoke "From this very moment, you have lost all respects of royalty"

Justin's head snapped to meet Brian's. _Huh? What?_

"Look _down_, Justin!" Brian growled.

Justin reluctantly looked down, his heart hammering in his chest.

"You _will_ wear the uniform of the lowest class, bear duties in the palace and serve the Kinney family"

Brian was turning him to a mere commoner? "You have _no_ right, Brian. I'm a Prince, I'll always be one!"

Justin grunted as the back of Brian's hand made contact with his cheek and his head whipped to the side. It wasn't painful but it was damn humiliating. Rage was brewing inside Justin.

Brian continued calmly. "The duration of the punishment will be in my command, until I will be satisfied you will remain here"

"Brian..." Justin cried softly. This was unfair. It was downright cruel.

Brian held Justin's jaw between his thumb and other four fingers and squeezed him tight.

"Do not speak, until I have given the permission to do so. You no longer have the privileges a Prince holds, which includes calling me by my name. "

Justin felt a lump growing in his throat.

"If you do not follow Justin…there will be consequences. Remember, those consequences may not always concern you"

Justin gritted his teeth. Brian was now threatening his family too? He felt a fresh batch of tears threatening to spill.

"Do you understand?"

Justin only nodded his head, fearing that if he opened his mouth all emotions would let loose.

"Stand"

Brian held Justin's fingers in his and pulled the ring off roughly. "You had finally gotten your wish, Justin."

Justin felt a searing, tearing pain in his chest as those words resonated in his head.

Justin watched helplessly as Brian pulled his own off and pocketed them.

"Three little words, so easy to say" Brian regaled, smirk in place.

"Let's test the strength of your _love_, shall we?"


End file.
